


The Time Lost In Between

by Magical_Devil_Alex



Series: DC Shenanigans [7]
Category: DCU (Comics), Shazam! | Captain Marvel (Comics)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Bruce is done with Marvel's crap, Child Abuse, Childhood Memories, Didn't See That Coming, Family Feels, Finally, Gen, Identity Porn, Identity Reveal, Irony Is the Best, Light Stalking, Past Character Death, Secret Identity, chapter 10 is getting a little dark yall, does that apply here?, i think it does, like at all, which is kinda funny if you think about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-05-10
Packaged: 2019-12-25 07:58:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 34,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18257060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magical_Devil_Alex/pseuds/Magical_Devil_Alex
Summary: Everyone knows Batman knows everything about everyone, no matter how secretive they might be.What everyone doesn't know is that the Dark Knight knows nothing about Captain Marvel, no matter what he does to try to. And now, he thinks he might just have a lead, a lead that would finally let him tear apart the puzzle that's troubled him for so long.The only complication? Captain Marvel is wearing a dead man's face.





	1. One Dead Man's Clue

**Author's Note:**

> So obviously this takes place in a universe where Batman doesn't figure out Billy's identity like in The Power of Gods/The Power of Heroes/Sick Day at the Wayne's verse. Just thought I'd make that clear.

To the world's greatest detective, there weren't any mysteries that could slip past him, no secrets that wouldn't be revealed under his careful sleuthing. He takes pride in unraveling every piece of information he can, takes pride in being a human that can figure out the questions of everything from aliens to magic. Everyone knows Batman knows everything there is to know about everyone, no matter how hard they try to hide it, and everyone knows that there's no point in trying to keep a secret from him. The Dark Knight  _will_ find out, one way or another, whether you like it or not. It's best to just stay out of his way and pray you're on his good side, hope that he won't need to use your weaknesses he knows you have against you one day. It's what puts the fear in not only Gotham's criminals, but every criminal, including his own allies and those that he calls friends.

That's why when it came to Captain Marvel, a hero in the Justice League that everyone knew next to nothing about, everyone assumed Batman  _did._ He had to, right? World's greatest detective and all? The Big Red Cheese  _must_ have slipped up somewhere, done something that would give Batman a clue on where to start. After all,  _no one_ was that good at keeping their secrets to themselves, especially not an overgrown man-child that annoyed most League members on a good day.

Right?

What they  _didn't_ know? Batman knows just as much as everyone else, which is to say,  _nothing._ Let's just say, to the man that's never been stumped by pretty much  _anything,_ the fact that he couldn't tell you jack shit about Captain Marvel  _really_ annoyed him. A  _lot._

It wasn't for a lack of trying, he'll assure you. The Dark Knight has done everything from magical trackers, surveillance of cameras, drones, and even going to Fawcett City as Bruce Wayne to try and find out  _anything_ about the hero that resided there. Every single time he's come up with the same conclusion:  _nothing._ It was almost like Captain Marvel didn't even exist unless he  _wanted_ to, and when he didn't all traces of his presence on Earth just  _vanished._ Not even Zatanna could do anything to help him, while John Constantine out right refused to have any involvement in Batman's,  _'bloody stupid crusade,'_ as he had put it. 

But both Batman and Bruce Wayne were determined men, and they refused for this to be the mystery that left them with no answer. So he kept looking, looking for  _anything_ that might even  _hint_ to the origins of Captain Marvel, anything that could give him the beginning of a clue. It's been nearly two years, two long years of dead ends and no results, but still, he continues on.

And now? His patience, his persistent searching has  _finally_ bared some fruit.

Bruce's finger's froze over the keyboard of the Batcomputer, studying the image in front of him. To anyone else, it would have been a happy or even joyful picture to look at, but to the world's greatest detective, it was the biggest clue he's found that could lead him to understanding Captain Marvel. 

The picture was quite simple, in all honesty. A family picture with four members, each smiling wide and bright. The first two were young children about five or six years old, both with dark hair and bright blue eyes. The female child was being hugged by an older woman who looked to be laughing, her shining brown hair pulled back into a loose ponytail while he greens eyes sparkled with mischief and humor. The male child was on the shoulders of a tall and broad man who was wearing round rimmed glasses and had the same coloring as the children. These two adults were obviously the children's parents, everything from the similar features to how they held themselves around one another showed that. 

Why was this picture the key to figuring out Captain Marvel, you might ask? Well, that answer was easy.

The father in the picture was an exact copy of the lightning themed hero.

Bruce zoomed in on the mans face, studying his strong jaw structure, thin nose, high cheekbones, and large eyes. He then brought up a picture of the Captain and put them side by side, comparing each and every detail he could think of and then some. Time and time again he found no difference between the two, but just to make sure he put them through a computer analysis. Less than a minute later the Batcomputer confirmed that there were no differences between the two, and Bruce pushed his chair back, releasing a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

He finally had something to connect Marvel to, after all these years of searching.

The only complication? 

If the Batcomputer was correct (as if always is), then that meant Captain Marvel was wearing the face of a dead man. 

Bruce clicked on the other tab he had open, which brought him to the newspaper article where he found the picture in the first place. The headline read,  _ **Two respected Fawcett City archaeologists dead after a fatal plane crash**_. The article named these two archaeologists as Marilyn and C.C Batson, very accomplished in their careers that have taken them all around the world, everywhere from India, Brazil, and most famously, Egypt. In fact, Egypt was exactly where the Batson's were heading when they crashed on that fateful plane, leaving behind their twins, William and Mary Batson. 

The detective narrowed his eyes at the article, once again clicking back to the picture and staring intensely at the man that should be long dead, nearly seven years dead at this point. Sure, there have been countless records of those who come back to life, but that story just didn't feel  _right_ in this case. After all, resurrections usually happen less than two years after said person died, and Captain Marvel has been around for about two, meaning C.C Batson would have been dead for over five years before suddenly returning, and with godly powers no less. 

So, resurrection was more than likely off the table (but still there, just in case). Did that mean Batson survived the plane crash? If he did, then why did he never contact anyone to let them know he was alive? What secrets did a man like him have to hide? 

Of course, Batson might very well still be dead. It could be that Captain Marvel is for whatever reason using the man's face, but that reason would have to be a pretty damn good one. Identity stealing was no small matter, especially if said person was dead as far as the world knew. 

Then there was the possibility that Batson's son, William, was actually the Captain; after all, their appearances are very similar to one another, even if the boy was quite young in the one picture he had. But Bruce quickly took that idea from his mind, after all, William would still be only twelve at most, and the hero looked to be in his young to mid 20's. Speaking of which, what happened to the twins once their parents died?

Bruce went through the article once more, searching for anything that told of the children's whereabouts, but all he could find was some offhand comment about the twins staying with Marilyn's brother. The detective quickly looked up the name, frowning when he found out that this brother, named Ebenezer Herks, had multiple drunk driving, petty theft, and even attempted manslaughter charges to his name. He clearly wasn't fit to to raise two young children.

Searching into the man more only made a sour taste fill Bruce's mouth. There was a brief record of William staying with Herks, but that only lasted a few months before William quote, 'ran away.' And yet, one month after the boy seemingly ran, he ended up in foster care, not his uncle's. Bruce tracked the time William spent in foster care, finding that he wa bounced from home to home, making it 12 in the span of a year and a half. Only once was he ever taken in by a foster family, and even then it only lasted two weeks before he was sent right back.

Then, when the boy was eight, he ran away from his current foster home, and there's been no record of him since. Sadly, this wasn't the first time Bruce has read a story like this, something that could have very easily happened to him hadn't he had the Wayne name and fortune to back him up. Honestly, he was impressed that the boy had managed to avoid the system for nearly four years now, but that also made him wonder: was he even still alive.

The detective paused his his typing, furrowing his eyebrows together. As much as everyone, even his own children, would think that Bruce never gets off task and only focuses on the task in front of him, like many things they would be wrong. There's been many times where the current case he's working on involves a child somehow, and before he knew it he was looking through their history and trying to figure out where they were. It was an unfortunate effect of being a father himself, it seemed.

After staring at the screen where William Batson's records were laid out for a solid minute, Bruce finally closed the tab, making a mental note to look back into the boy later. Right now, his focus needed to be on Captain Marvel and whether or not he was stealing the identity of a dead man. He just clicked on the tab with C.C Batson's and the Captain's picture when he heard the familiar thudding of Alfred's footsteps getting closer to the Batcomputer. Bruce glanced to the side, seeing the butler standing right next to him as Alfred studied the picture for several moments.

"Well, it seems that you've finally caught a clue to your mystery, Master Bruce," Alfred said bluntly, placing a cup of tea in front of the detective. "I thought I'd let you know that Master Damian has gone to bed, and I do believe that it's high time you do as well, seeing as it's nearly three a.m and you have an early meeting tomorrow at Wayne Enterprises with Master Timothy. Though, I can't say Master Timothy will get much sleep either," Alfred finished with a note of concern for the young man, knowing that Tim often pushed himself much too hard and got too little sleep. 

Bruce took one last look at the two pictures, pursing his lips together as he thought. The detective then closed the tabs, knowing they would instantly save before shutting down the Batcomputer. If Alfred was surprised by his lack of resistance, he didn't say anything, only raised his eyebrows slightly, as if asking an unsaid question. "I better head to bed, then," was all Bruce gave his butler, standing from the chair and hearing the base of his spine crack. "I could use a break from all the thinking." He took the cup of tea and drained it in one gulp, barely tasting the drink over the sour coating that was still in his mouth.

Alfred sighed knowingly. He could read Bruce all too well, and the butler knew that the detective was the furthest thing from done thinking. He would probably only get a couple hours of sleep from thinking so much, right before he had to put on his Brucie face and act the part of a billionaire playboy for most of the day. Sometimes Alfred thought the persona Bruce put on exhausted him more than the vigilante one, but at least this time Tim would be there to give him company. 

"Goodnight, Alfred."

"Goodnight, Master Bruce."

 

 

The next time there was a Justice League meeting, Bruce made extra sure to watch Captain Marvel. The hero came in like normal, nearly 20 minutes early and humming a soft tune under his breath. He looked to be in a good mood, but there was rarely a time when the Captain was  _not_ in a good mood, and Batman knew from years of learning to read people that never once was it faked. Perhaps that was one of the things that always threw the Dark Knight off: how  _genuine_ the hero was, no matter what. Every emotion you saw on his face was real and true, everything from the child like glee that often appeared on his face to the rare all consuming anger. 

Maybe that's why Batman was having such a hard time believing that he could ever steal a dead man's identity. But as rare as it was, he's been wrong before. 

The Dark Knight watched the red clad hero out of the corner of his eye, seeing as he walked over to the glass window, where you could see the sun rising over the Earth. Marvel seemed to be captivated by the sight, not moving a muscle for over three minutes as he studied it. He almost  _glowed_ with happiness, something that always happened when he looked over the Earth. Most League members got used to the sight after a while, but for Marvel it was like he was seeing it for the first time every time he looked down from the Watchtower. 

10 minutes later, Superman showed up, followed by Wonder Woman and surprisingly enough, Green Lantern. Usually Lantern showed up with the Flash, so something must have happened to cause this change in routine. Captain Marvel smiled at each hero as they entered, but Diana was the only one to fully return it, like always. Batman knew Marvel bothered many of the League members, even if it was unintentional. He never acted put off about their attitude towards him, though there have been a few times where a frown briefly crosses his face before he quickly goes back to smiling.

He was so open, so  _friendly_ it hurt. So what did a man like him have to hide, Batman wondered. Everything? Nothing?

The Dark Knight narrowed his eyes behind the cowl, half paying attention to the information he was typing, things he was planning on going over with the League. He would find out Captain Marvel's secrets sooner or later. He always did.  


	2. The Past of Nothing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I expected this to just be a one shot type thing, but clearly that did NOT happen. Enjoy!

If you were to ask Billy Batson about his past, he would tell you it's complicated, and that he'd rather not get into it. For the most part, this was true, but that wasn't the only reason he said this. Much of the reason was that even if he was only twelve years old, he didn't trust very many people, and when you lived on the streets, those who you  _do_ trust are few and far between. And even then with the ones he trusted, he never once told any of them about his past. That reason was a little bit more...  _embarrassing_ if the boy were to be honest; something he didn't like to think about all that often.

That reason? Well... let's just say, Billy's  _forgotten_ most of his life before he was on the streets, before he was all on his own without anyone but himself to look after him, before he was constantly trying to just make it by another day. He just... didn't  _remember_ almost anything before then. Sure, he knows  _facts,_ things people have told him or things he just  _knew,_ but he has very few memories to go with them. 

Like that he had a twin sister named Mary: he  _knew_ this, but at the same time, the only thing he could actually  _remember_ about her was the last few moments they were together, when she was separated from him. The boy remembers the tears streaming down her face, remembers feeling so much  _pain ~~~~_ ~~~~at losing the last member of his family, but he doesn't remember _why_ they were even separated at all, or anything about her before that moment. It was simply blank, a canvas that had been painted over so many times that the original picture was nowhere to be found. 

His parents were much the same way. He knows exactly what his mom and dad looked like (after all, he used to have a picture of them while he was in foster care and he memorized every detail he could about them), and he knows that they were archeologists. If he tries hard enough he can faintly hear his dad's deep and soothing voice and his mom's beautiful and joyful laugh, but that's about it. No real memories to associate them with, no way to keep their memory alive. Well, nothing except one thing.

_"Do good and good will follow."_  

Those words... he doesn't know  _why_ or  _when,_ but he knows his mom and dad told him that before, told him that  _many_ of times, so many that it would forever be ingrained in his mind. They were words he did his best to live by, the words that influenced him as both Billy Batson and Captain Marvel. He believed those words with all of his heart, and no matter how bad things got, no matter how unfair life wanted to be, he embraced every letter of that saying. Even when being a hero sometimes became too much, all he had to do was take a deep breath, tell himself that saying, and he would instantly feel better. He didn't care that many of the Justice League members didn't like him all that much, didn't think he should be trusted. He was doing was right for the entirety of Earth, and that alone was enough to push him through the hardest of days when he just wanted to lay down and forget everything. His greatest heroes thought he was untrustworthy, but it didn't matter. What did matter was that he was saving lives and helping people, doing good and watching the good follow. Sure, the good might not come back on him, but at least the rest of the world felt it; especially Fawcett City, a place that was gradually beginning to rebuild itself into the reputation it deserved. 

If no other hero besides himself saw it, well, that was their own fault.

He knew about Batman's obsession with him, or was that even the right word? Perhaps it was more like  _frustration._ Billy keeps his personal life on such tight wraps that even the world's greatest detective doesn't know anything about him, and despite the fact that he isn't all the good at reading people, the wisdom of Solomon tells him that the Dark Knight finds this very...  _infuriating._ Billy sees the cold looks Batman gives him, even if they are behind that cowl of his. He knows about every single tracker placed on his body, the drones that surveyed Fawcett, and even knew about him contacting John Constantine. Every single attempt Batman made to try and figure anything out lead nowhere, and while Billy was glad for this, it also put him on edge most of the time when he was around the vigilante.

That's why when he realizes the Dark Knight was once again watching him before a League meeting (something he's done a few times at this point) Billy didn't think much of it. It wasn't the first, and certainly wouldn't be the last time this happened. He kinda wished he had the will to call Batman out about it, but a confrontation with the hero scared him more than any magical monster ever could, no matter how much of Achilles' courage he had. It was better to just let Batman do his own thing while Captain Marvel did his.

At least he had the window to distract him. The view of the sun rising over the peaceful Earth below would never be a sight he grew tired of, and he smiled softly to himself as he enjoyed these few moments of serenity. A few minutes later when other League members began to arrive, Billy turned around to grin at them in his own way of greeting them. Only Wonder Woman truly returned it, but it didn't bother him as much as it used to, when he was still new to the League. He still kinda wished that he had a better relationship with his teammates (who also doubled as his heroes) but there was nothing much he could do about it now. 

Five minutes later, every hero that was supposed to show up for the meeting today had arrived, even the Flash, who was surprisingly on time for once. Batman swiftly brought the room to order, his deep voice commanding the attention of everyone there. Billy silently wished that he could do that, or at the very least have some sort of intimidation factor like the Dark Knight had perfectly mastered. Maybe then the others would take him more seriously.

The meeting went on like it normally did: dreadfully boring but also very important. Thankfully, the wisdom of Solomon also helped Billy stay focused in times where he usually would be distracted, so paying attention was no problem. Billy continued to notice Batman's attention on him, however subtle it may be, and wondered just why the Dark Knight was putting so much focus on him  _now_ of all times. Sure, the hero was like this nearly all the time, but something about this felt more...  _intense,_ like it was Batman's first time truly seeing Captain Marvel. Just what could he be searching for, Billy wondered. There must be _something_ going on.

He was thinking so hard about this (while also mentally noting that he would have monitor duty next week on Thursday from 5-8) that he didn't realize he was staring directly at Batman until the Dark Knight made eye contact with him, a brief and nearly non existent pause in his voice. Billy instantly felt his face flush bright red as he immediately broke the eye contact, scolding himself. He decided that the meeting table was suddenly very interesting, keeping his gaze low as he listened to the meeting wrap up. He was abruptly anxious to get back to Fawcett City and away from the smoldering stare of the vigilante, feeling his nerves tingle down his spine. 

"One last thing before you're all dismissed," Batman was was saying, his voice monotone like always. "Captain Marvel, I need to speak with you after the meeting has concluded." Billy froze involuntarily at the words, face blooming pink as he knew a few of the other heroes were staring at him in confusion, wondering what the darkest hero wanted with him. In all honesty, Billy echoed their confusion, knots twisting in his stomach as he glanced up, once again locking his gaze with Batman's. The other hero gave no clue as to what he wanted, even as he could tell that the lines in Batman's body were much more tense than they normally were.

It gave Billy the unshakable feeling that something bad was about to happen. 

If Batman said the meeting was dismissed after that, he never heard it because of how wrapped up he was in his thoughts. The next thing Billy knew, he and the Dark Knight were once again all alone in the giant meeting room. It didn't feel casual or separated anymore, in fact, to Billy it felt like they were right next to one another instead on near opposite sides of the room. The other hero's gaze was simply  _that_ intense.

Billy fought the urge to twist his fingers together as Batman's hidden eyes burned into his skin. "You, uh, wanted to see me, sir?" he managed to croak out, inwardly cringing at how meek his voice sounded. The vigilante stared at him for many moments, as if thinking deeply about something, lips pursing together. This time Billy couldn't help it as his hands clasped together, twisting against one another. It was a nervous habit he's never been able to get rid of, even in the body of Captain Marvel. He wondered what Batman would make of it, if he even cared about things like that. But who was he kidding? This was  _Batman_ they were talking about, of  _course_ he cared. 

Without any warning, the Dark Knight stood up from his seat. "Come with me."

 

 

In all honesty, Batman didn't know  _why_ he asked Captain Marvel to stay behind after the meeting had ended. There were many subconscious reasons he could have done this: a desire to understand this mystery better now that he had a single piece of this seemingly unsolvable puzzle, or  _something_ like that. He didn't make it a habit to do things without a specific plan in mind, but he guessed now he had to make an exception.

It didn't help that half way through the meeting he realized Marvel knew he was watching the red clad hero. Usually the world's greatest detective noticed things like that, but it wasn't until Marvel had made direct eye contact with him that he understood that the hero was wondering why so much attention was being put on him. Was the Captain always this observant of the world around him? How had Batman not paid enough attention to notice this? Was in an act Marvel put on to throw others off his scent, to make him seem less intelligent? Whatever the reason, the Dark Knight knew that he had to talk to the hero about  _something,_ _anything_ that could lead him in the right direction about what kind of person Captain Marvel  _truly_ was. It was in Batman's basic instinct, his brain, his very  _blood_ to do this. 

The Captain looked slightly startled at his request, but said nothing and stood up to follow the vigilante without question. The Dark Knight silently lead the red clad hero out of the meeting room and towards the main control center, where he spent most of his time at the Watchtower. The set up was very much like the Bat Cave in a way, the design calming him in a way that was hard to describe. It made Batman feel more at home, like he was still one Earth instead of floating hundreds of miles away from it. 

Without looking to see if Marvel was keeping up with his brisk pace (he was, the Dark Knight could hear every echoing step of someone who knew how to be cautious but not quiet) Batman began typing on the computer, going with the first plan that came to mind. Articles of various crimes came up, everything from a simple bank robbery to a gruesome hit and run that lead nearly a dozen dead. Batman sensed Marvel skimming through them, and once again he wondered just how observant the lightning themed hero was. Sure, at first glance he seemed like an air head at best, but the longer time went on, it was clear that wasn't the entire story. 

But then again, how much did he  _really, truly_ know about Captain Marvel?

He resided it Fawcett City. His first appearance was December nearly two years ago. His arch nemesis was a powerful being named Black Adam. He claimed to have powers granted to him by gods, but never once clarified why or how these gods gave him that power. Other than that, the Dark Knight can't say he honestly knows the hero.

"I have reason to believe," Batman started slowly, dragging his words out. "That all of these crimes were committed by the same person."

There was a brief pause before Marvel replied with, "that seems kind of unlikely, sir. All the descriptions of the criminals are different, ranging from everything to white, black, female, male, blonde and brunette. Unless there's a different reason you think they're all the same person."

Yes, the Captain was  _definitely_ smarter than he appeared to be. "I think it is the same person, someone with the ability to take others identities for themselves." He glanced over at the hero, looking for any kind of reaction, anything that would hint at his true character. It was common for those who hide secrets to grow uncomfortable at someone who mentioned it to them directly, whether they were accusing them or not. But Marvel didn't look phased by it at all, in fact, he seemed to think  _harder_ at the Dark Knight's words, seriously taking them into consideration as he studied the articles once more. "The reason I asked for you was because I also have reason to believe that whoever this person is has magic on their side. As much as I dislike magic, it would help me greatly if someone who understands it better could give me a little bit of... advice, per say. At least something to head me in the right direction."

Marvel was nodding along right with him, completely falling for the lie Batman had made up, or acting very well to made him  _think_ the hero was. There was no real way for the Dark Knight to know anymore, something that he could add on to the list of things that made him paranoid in Marvel's presence. If anyone in the League ever heard about this, he would never hear the end of it.

"Okay, then. What do you need to know? I'm honestly not the best when it comes to knowledge about magic, but I can do my best."

Batman nodded shortly, as if taking this into consideration. "What can you tell me about those who can shapeshift into other people?"

Captain Marvel tilted his head to the side, thinking. "Well, in magic there are no natural shapeshifters like a metahuman would be. If would require a spell, and in order to completely mimik the person they wish to become they would need a piece of said person; a lock of hair, bottle of blood, something along those lines. They would also need to regularly apply the spell, because those types of spells only last so long before they give out. And since this person can become so many people, it also makes me think they were born with the blood of some magical creature; humans can't really handle a spell of that strength very frequently without totally burning out and even killing themselves. So, you might be dealing with a half demon of sorts," Marvel concluded, his eyebrows furrowed together.

The Dark Knight once again pretended to find interest in this, subtle enough to that he didn't look to eager. The Captain still didn't sound uncomfortable in any way, in fact, he was nearly  _confident_ in the words he was saying, even if he claimed to not be the best when it came to magic. 

"That will be enough for now. If I need anything else, I'll let you know. Thank you, Captain Marvel," Batman said stiffly, turning back to the computer and acting as if he was typing information in that he would delete later. Marvel hesitated at first before backing away, and the world's greatest detective could practically  _see_ the awkwardness on his face. 

"Uh, yeah, no problem, sir. Glad to be of help. See you later," the red clad hero replied, shuffling out of the control room and more than likely heading towards to zeta tubes to get back to Fawcett. Once Marvel was out of sight, Batman allowed a sigh to fall from his lips, wondering what the Hell he was going to do now. It felt like he had gained no more information that would be of use to to him in figuring out the hero, something that he was very quickly getting annoyed with. How was it that _Captain Marvel_ of all people managed to keep everything a secret from him? It wasn't Clark, Diana, or even Victor that was able to do that, but the Big Red Cheese.

Batman tapped his fingers in the desk, thinking. He  _would_ find out what Captain Marvel was hiding, one way or another.

He had no other choice.             


	3. Searching for a Child's Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this story a lot.

In the weeks that followed Bruce's interaction with Captain Marvel, the world's greatest detective dug deeper into the life of C.C Batson. He found out the man attended Fawcett University for his degree in archeology and cultural sciences, that he met his wife Marilyn while studying for them, and got married to her about three years after they both graduated (she was two years older). Both have them have been to Egypt a total of 26 times, including Khandaq, which peaked Bruce's interest seeing as Black Adam ruled the country and was moral enemies with the Captain. If doing this for over a decade has taught him anything, is that there were no coincidences when it came to people like this. 

He was hoping to find something that made the Batson's out of the ordinary, a newspaper report, a hidden police record, any odd instances that would make others look twice, but there was nothing. The family, along with the two children, were so normal and average it almost hurt. Average home income, even if they both were a little bit on the higher side as archeologists go, average home, average kids doing average things, average average  _average._ Batson didn't even have a  _speeding_ ticket to his name, so Bruce guessed the only thing  _not_ average about him was his uncanny ability to follow the rules.  

He  _had_ to be missing something. No coincidences, remember? Something about this whole investigation was setting Bruce more on edge than normal, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. If felt like he was looking in the right direction, but not the right details. So what was the variable he wasn't considering, the domino that made everything fall into place?

Bruce studied the picture's of Captain Marvel and C.C Batson, hands folded in front of him as he stared. He could hear the gentle but energetic sounds of footsteps behind him, and he didn't bother to click the pictures away as they approached him. A moment later Dick appeared next to him, head tilted as he looked at them. 

"Whatcha got here, B?" Dick questioned, placing a hand on the large seat Bruce was sitting on. "Something with the good ole' Cap? I thought you had finally given up on that one to be honest."

The world's greatest detective couldn't help the quirk of a smile that came briefly to his face at his oldest son's slightly teasing tone of voice, something he's grown to appreciate in his own way. "You of all people should know, Dick, I don't give up on things like this quite so easily. As you can see, my inquiries have lead me to something I can use."

Dick raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Then why are you sitting there moping like the time Damian said he'd rather live with Clark and Jon then at the Manor? I get the feeling you still don't have any of the answers you're looking for."

Damn. He always forgot how well his eldest son could read him, even if it still wasn't to the degree of Alfred. "Lets just say, Marvel is a bit tougher to crack than I expected him to be. A lot smarter, too. His ability to hide everything and anything that could lead back to him is surprisingly effective. I just... I'm not sure where I should go from here."

"Have you tried, I don't know,  _asking_ the guy about it?" 

Bruce gives Dick a  _look,_ one that tells the other everything he needs to know. Of  _course_ he's tried to ask, Hell, pretty much the entire  _League_ has tried at one point or another. The fact was that the red clad hero wouldn't unzip his lips about  _anything_ to  _anyone._ Marvel may have saved the world many of times at this point, but the fact was that most of the League still didn't trust him very much  _because_ of how tight he kept everything. How could they be expected to trust someone that knew everything about _them_ when they knew  _nothing_ about  _him?_

"Okay, bad question. What makes you so sure that Captain Marvel is up to something bad? The guy could just be a really private person that likes keeping his hero and civilian life separate. Not everyone who keeps a secret from you has ill intent," Dick shrugged, turning away from the screen and back towards the exit. "I just wanted to let you know that Jason, Tim, and Cass are coming over for dinner. I'd prefer it if you joined us instead of brooding down here." 

And with that, Dick left, once again leaving Bruce with his thoughts. A large part of him wanted to listen to Dick, to let everything doing with Marvel go, at least for a little while, but that one corner of his mind was still persistently nagging at him, telling him that he was so  _close._ All he needed was a new angle to look at it from.

Bruce exited out of the tab, about to close down the Batcomputer when something made him stop. His dark eyes slowly focused on the image of the Batson family that was still up, all of his attentioned focused on the boy, William. Sure, the boy was off the grid as far as the Fawcett City social services was concerned, but that didn't mean anything. The world's greatest detective has already hacked the city's cameras and found the boy, clearly homeless and an expert at dodging not so friendly adults that could put him back in the system. 

He pursed his lips, suddenly wondering if  _William_ was the key on bridging what he needed to know about Captain Marvel. Surly the boy  _must_ have noticed the similarities between his father and the local hero, even if he was so young when C.C died. Bruce knew from experience with Jason that street kids were much more observant and sharp than the average citizen, so it was no stretch that William would know  _something._

It would give him a new angle, after all.

With that thought in mind, Bruce turned the computer off, glad to have a goal, but also determined to have a nice night with his children. After all, he reminded himself as he walked into the library. It wasn't everyday they came home.

And yet, he couldn't help but wonder if young William Batson even  _remembered_ having a place to call home.

 

 

A week later (having joined his dysfunctional family for dinner) Bruce was in Fawcett City, planning on staying there for about a week. He always put safehouses in the cities where heroes resided, just in case, and here was no acception. This safehouse was bit better stalked than most of his other ones, mainly because he's already done something similar to what he's about to do before. This time however, he hopes to find a few more answers to his questions. 

The night after arriving, Bruce took to the streets of Fawcett. Beforehand he spent three days tracking William's movements on the cameras of the City, finding he had a general pattern he followed from day to do. He should have done more research before this to get a better idea of what the boy did, but no one ever said Bruce wasn't impatient after a while. In all honesty, he kinda just wanted to put this whole things behind him with the peace of mind that he finally cracked the hardest puzzle he's ever come across. If only the other heroes could see him now.

Bruce entered a simple restaurant called Rana's Diner, cladded in a low hanging hat and round rimmed glasses to hide his features. The last thing he needed was for someone to realize Bruce Wayne was wondering around Fawcett City and to send the press and paparazzi after him. He would never get  _anything_ done if that was the case, so the cheap but surprisingly effective disguise it was.

On his brief observations of the boy (read as: stalking) it seemed that he liked to come near this diner quite a bit. It seemed William had a friend that worked here, and occasionally the owner would give the scrawny boy some leftovers that would be wasted. A quick search told him that the friend's name was Richard 'Ricky' Grey, and the owner's was Nian Rana. 

He took a seat by the window's, taking a moment to observe what he could see of the city. It was surprisingly clean and pristine, the sidewalks with next to no trash on them, the windows of some of the larger buildings sparkling gleefully in the sun. It was so unlike Gotham the they might as well have been in different universes, especially with how  _friendly_ the people were here, at least for the most part.

Perhaps  _that's_ what always gave Bruce a bad feeling about Fawcett City. It feels like something straight out of a Utopian novel, so perfect that it  _can't_ be true. Fawcett seems to be that way sometimes; the only problem was that it was hard to find what was  _wrong_ with the city.The citizens, while genuinely nice, had a certain...  _darkness_ to them, even as they smiled wide and walked down the street, much like those in Gotham would have.

Bruce looked up from the window as a waiter came to his table, Grey from the looks of it. The boy was 14 years old and lived in a foster home with Reed and Francesca Owens, and worked at the diner part time. He has a history of running away from foster homes, only to be found and sent right into another one. It was very similar to William Batson's story, though, William still hasn't gotten caught yet.

"What can I get for you sir?" Grey asked him, that smile on his face that was mirrored by everyone else in Fawcett, that not quite reaching the eyes but still real smile that no one should be able to pull off, and somehow an entire  _city_ managed to do it. 

"I'll have a cup of coffee for now, if you please," Bruce replied with a small smile, just enough to look friendly without being inviting. It was something Brucie the playboy had to do often, just enough to keep up appearances. It wasn't his favorite thing to do, but hey, you do what you have to.

"No problem, I'll be back soon." The boy went off, once again leaving Bruce relatively alone in the diner. There were only two other people in the diner with him, both which were on near opposite sides of each other. Bruce sat back in his seat, once again looking out the window in hopes of catching a glimpse of William walking down the street. There was nothing but a mom pushing a stroller with two other kids in toe.

Oh well. It looks like it would be a long day for Bruce Wayne.

 

 

Billy knew something was off the moment he woke up.

Call it instinct, call it super senses that he's gained over time, he didn't care. All he knew was that they were usually accurate, and that it was a very good idea to listen to them, and right now they were telling him something was just slightly  _wrong_ in Fawcett, not anything major, but enough to warrant attention. The thing was, the senses never told him  _where_ the wrong  _was,_ so he would be tense all day, waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

The boy slid off the old mattress, stretching and hearing his joints crack. Sunlight was leaking through the boarded up window, along with the sounds of the city moving and working about. It was a soothing sound to Billy, one he went to sleep to most nights. There was something about the consistent, humming loll of the city that comforted him, made him believe that all the good he was doing meant something. He remembered a time not so long ago where those sounds would be accompanied by yelling, glass shattering, and even the occasional gun shot, but now, those sounds were next to nonexistent. 

Billy rubbed at his eyes, pushing away the last threads of lingering sleep. He had a shift at the Watchtower today, though he didn't have to be there until 5 in the evening. That meant he had roughly 9 hours to kill, plenty of time to hopefully get a few jobs done for the local business owners, find something to eat, and do a patrol of Fawcett. He hoped by then he would find the source of his discomfort, and take care of it with minimal problems. 

The boy walked over to the door the lead out of his little home, giving it a good shove to unjam it. It creaked in protest but gave in enough to allow Billy to slip through and shut it tightly behind him. There was no one that Billy knew of that knew this place was here, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

The streets of Fawcett City bathed in the glowing sunlight, leaving it just warm enough to be able to walk outside without a jacket. Spring was steadily approaching, and it was evident by the last bits of snow melting and the flowers blooming on the awakening trees. It was beautiful, but it was also Billy's least favorite time of the year, the beginning of spring. That was because it was when his parents died, leaving him and his now missing sister alone in the world. It was something he didn't like to think about often, but came to his mind anyway. Would he be in school if they had never died? Would he and Mary have gotten along, or would they be at each others throats all the time? Would his mom and dad still travel around the world, bring them with him?

Billy sighed to himself, shoving his hands into the worn pockets of his jeans. He  _really_ wanted to travel the world like his parents did. Sure, as Captain Marvel he could do that whenever he wanted, but it just wasn't the same. It didn't help that he still had a slight fear of airplanes, something that's been around for as long as he could remember. 

Oh well. No use mourning about things that will never happen.

The boy walked until he came to Rana's Diner, a place he frequented, mainly because of his friend Ricky that worked there, but also because the owner Mrs. Nian gives him left overs and doesn't wave him away. It was nice to have another foster kid like Ricky around (though, technically Billy wasn't a foster kid, seeing as he hasn't been in the system for years now). Ricky understood how hard it could be to live in a place that doesn't want you at all, and though it was much better for the older boy now, it wasn't always that way. Billy can easily recall stories Ricky has told him; how one foster home beat him, another refused to feed him, and another that put him in the hospital. 

As Billy approached the diner, that odd feeling he woke up with became stronger, making his gut clench and nerves tingle with nervous anticipation. The boy came to a stop, squinting his eyes as he stared at the diner, wondering what could be giving him much a feeling. Nothing looked out of place as far as he could see; only a few customers present on a lazy Thursday morning when most were already at work or school. Ricky would be in school as well, but his current foster home home schooled their children, leaving the older boy much more time than the average teenager. 

There was a man sitting by the big, open windows of the diner, a simple hat on his head and glasses perched on his nose. Billy stared at him for a few moments, that feeling in his gut expanding sourly the longer he looked at the man. Was this the wrong that was disturbing the city? Why would such a simple looking man be the source? 

The boy stared harder, slowly realizing that the man looked...  _familiar_ somehow. Just as he thought that, Ricky came over to the man with a cup full of coffee, placing it down on the table. The man thanked him, taking the cup and drinking it slowly. Ricky walked away from the man, off to attend to a different customer.

Billy hesitantly began walking again, freezing almost instantly when the man's gaze abruptly locked onto him, his blue eyes calculating and cool, much like a glacier. The boy stared right on back, hoping he didn't look as shocked or as panicked as he felt. This man was  _definitely_ familiar somehow, but the how was just out of reach. All he knew was that he had to get away before something bad happened, but he couldn't get his feet to unfreeze themselves.

The man tilted his head, though not in a question. More like a _demand._

He's _seen_ that look before.

Before his brain could catch up to the rest of the world, Billy Batson was running, not noticing the man running out of Rana's Diner behind him.            


	4. Through the Streets of a Faded City

Chasing the child he was supposed to be investigating was  _not_ on Bruce Wayne's to do list when he woke up that morning, but here he was. He had no idea  _what_ caused him to impulsively run after William, who  _obviously_ was afraid of him for whatever reason, but it seems like he's been doing that a lot; doing things without fully thinking them through. It was something that Bruce, that  _Batman,_ should have long ago mastered, but clearly it was still lacking. He was still only human, after all.

He barely had enough time to out down a hundred dollar bill onto the table he was sitting at (not willing to spend more time looking for a more  _reasonable_ amount) before running out of the diner. Bruce sprinted after the boy, immediately noticing how the streets of Fawcett City suddenly turned bare when he swore only moments ago it was dotted with people. Even as he ran down entire blocks and turned corners to keep up with William, there was no one in sight.

Just another oddity of Fawcett to add to the list. At this point, he was going to need an entire fucking  _journal_ to keep track of them all.

Bruce huffed to himself, deciding to ditch the fake glasses for now, which were jerking up and down on his nose with each time his food slammed into the concrete. He probably broke them as he shoved them into a suit pocket, but he could hardly care about anything else when all of his focus was put onto the boy running ahead of him. And  _damn_ was William fast; so agile and swift that Bruce nearly lost track of him multiple times. You would think the boy was a meta or something with how fast he moved, and who knew, perhaps the meta gene activated in him while he was on the streets, trying to figure out his new found powers while he was all alone.

The thought tugged harshly at Bruce's parental instincts, but he ignored it. Emotion would never fail to creep up on him in the worst of ways when he least expects and wants it.

The boy abruptly turned sharply into an alleyway, forcing Bruce to slow down and turn to follow, finding that the alley was much smaller than he expected it to be. On either side of him were two small dumpsters, freshly filled by the way they smelled. Ugly stains lined the bricks in stark contrast to the otherwise pristine cleanliness of the building. The ground with slightly slick, suggesting that water or some other substance had recently been poured on it.

William Batson was nowhere to be found.

Bruce narrowed his eyes as he walked into the alley, knowing the boy must be here somewhere. There was no opposite exit, meaning the only way out was behind him. William had either disappeared or was currently doing his best to hide, but neither seemed likely in this case. The boy was much too smart to simply trap himself like this, so there must be another part in play that he wasn't realizing.

The man strained his ears, listening for any stray rustles of movement that most wouldn't be able to pick up, but the world's greatest detective could. For many moments, the only thing that he could hear was the steady trickle of water coming from a drain pipe, not even the hum of a car reaching his ears in this alley that felt an entire universe away from the real world. 

Then Bruce heard the gentle  _clang_ of metal from above his head. 

His blue eyes snapped upwards, seeing William frozen mid step as he climbed up a fire escape that had somehow slipped Bruce's observations. The stunned expression on the boy's face didn't last long, as he quickly began scaling the fire escape with practiced ease. 

"Wait!" Bruce called out as he darted over the dumpster to his right and used it as a propeller to the beginning of the fire escape only a few feet above him. "I only want to talk!" The man pulled himself up, keeping his eyes trained on William, who had once again stopped, face blank with strong distrust. He seemed surprised that Bruce could get up just as he had, but his eyes held a certain light that told Bruce he's seen much weirder before. It made the detective wonder: just what  _has_ William seen in order for this to phase him so little? He didn't look concerned that a strange man was chasing him at  _all,_ when most children would be crying and hyperventilating by now.

But if it hadn't been clear before, William Batson was  _not_ a normal child.

"Are you a social worker?"

Bruce was on the lowest edge of the fire escape now, only a few feet below the boy, but he hardly seemed concerned about this, like he was confident he could outrun this weird adult that was chasing him. If only he knew.

"No, I'm not. Like I said, I just want to talk and ask a few questions, then I'll let you on your merry way. Sound fair?"

William narrowed his bright eyes, tilting his head to the side as he considered Bruce's proposition. He seemed to be studying the man intensely, not looking at his eyes, but somewhere on the lower parts of his face. It was rather odd for the boy to do this, but Bruce made no comment on it, hoping William would find whatever he was looking for so that he could get what he needed. 

"Do I know you?" the boy asked, glancing back up at Bruce's eyes. "You look really familiar, but I don't know why."

Bruce took his turn to really study William up close, the only looks he's gotten of the boy through graining video feed, old pictures and from a distance. He was much thinner than the man had once expected, even thin for a homeless kid. He looked like he's been  _neglected_ by an abusive parent, not left on the streets to fend for himself. If it weren't for the slightly baggy long sleeved red shirt that the boy was wearing, Bruce was positive he would be able to count every single rib on his chest. William's hands were thin and boney, but they held casual strength that were probably lined with calluses. And his eyes were the most fascinating of all; like all of Fawcett City's inhabitants, there was a sliver of darkness that was always present, but at the same time they looked kind and brilliant. The iris of the boy's eye practically  _glowed_ in the darkness of the alley, giving the impression of a cat stalking through its territory. 

Those eyes... Bruce hadn't noticed it before, but something about those eyes  _definitely_ looked familiar. The way they examined the world and those in it, how he could easily be passed off as weak and unimportant unless you  _really_ looked for the strength right below the surface. 

_He looks like Captain Marvel._

Well, that's why Bruce was here in the first place, wasn't it? To investigate why Captain Marvel was a carbon copy of C.C Batson, and to see if Batson's child knew anything. If was hard to remind himself that after the whirlwind that was the past hour, but he did. 

Instead, Bruce shrugged nonchalantly, saying, "I guess I have one of those faces. You'd be surprised how many times I get that."

The distrust flickered on the boy's face again, his small hand tightening on the rail of the fire escape. "You just want to talk?"

Bruce nodded. "Yes."

"And then you'll leave?"

"Of course."

For many moments, William didn't blink, making the air and time around him some to a stand still. It unconsciously made Bruce start to hold his breath before he told himself to breath again, making sure to take deep, full breaths. Finally, the boy spoke. "Okay, I'll let you ask your questions, _if_ you can make it up here with me." He then began climbing the fire escape like a monkey, fitting through the larger gaped bars and making his way to the roof. A flicker of a smile came to Bruce's face at that, silently accepting the challenge as he too started climbing the rickety fire escape.

After all, neither Bruce Wayne or Batman were ever one to back away from a challenge.

 

 

Billy found himself looking down at the man every few seconds, growing more and more impressed as he managed to smoothly climb the metal bars that creaked loudly with each touch. The only reason the boy knew the escape was in the alley was because of the many times he's been chased by the older kids who decide to have some 'fun' with him. Because of this, its instinctively become his place to run to whenever he doesn't feel safe, but now here he was, inviting a complete stranger into his safe haven (besides the apartment, of course). 

However... Billy still had his doubts that this man was a stranger. He's good at remembering people for the most part; how they move, speak, use their eyes to communicate, and this man had the same signals as...  _someone._ They weren't 100% accurate, but they were pretty freaking close. It was kind of creepy, the way he looked around the alley when he first ran in, eyes darting in a way only a seasoned detective would do. He observed every crack and chip of paint, but never once did he ever assume Billy wasn't there, even if he never looked up until the boy accidentally gave his positioning away.

_Wait... detective..._

Billy came to the roof's ledge, once again looking down to see the man not far behind. With a heave of his arms, the boy pulled himself onto the roof, hearing the fire escape sigh as his extra weight was taken away. He stood up, brushing away the excess dirt that made its way onto his clothing and walked to the center of the building to look over the city. It wasn't nearly as good of a view as he could get as Captain Marvel, but it would do just fine for now. From here he could see the highway that lead in and out of the city, and the circling birds that flew above it. If he pretended to listen hard enough, the boy could hear the birds caw and cry, free to just exist, 

"I'm guessing you come up here often?" the man questioned from behind Billy, not even slightly out of breath from his journey, once again surprisingly the boy. Usually, not even those who were only a little bit bigger than Billy could make it through the dangerous jungle gym, or even try for that matter. For a man as tall as he is, he must have a lot of agility and strength to manage that.

"Yeah, it's really peaceful up here. Most people can't make it." Billy turns around, noticing how the shadows seemed to surround the man without covering him. He looked more at home in the shadows, more at ease and comfortable, but for what reason Billy didn't know. Most people who were from Fawcett couldn't do that even if they tried, even if they did feel in the dark more times than not, too used to the bright sun and big opensky to do so. "You're not from here, are you?"

The man chuckled, taking a pair of glasses from out of his coat pocket and putting them on, the left lense ever so slightly cracked. "It's that obvious, is it? No, I'm not from Fawcett City. I'm from Gotham."

That would explain the shadows. Billy's met very few from Gotham, but they all move in the darkness like they were born to do so, Batman immediately coming to mind. He shivers at the thought, though it didn't last long in the warm morning air. "What's your name?"

The man tilted his head, the small smile one his face becoming a little more forced than before. "I thought I would be the one asking the questions."

Billy shrugged. "I have the feeling you already know my name, or else you wouldn't have chased after me and demand I answer your questions. If I'm going to willingly give away information to someone I've never talked to before in my life, don't you think it's fair that I at least know your  _name?"_

For many moments, there was silence, the man staring hard at Billy, trying to decipher  _something._ Without any warning, he said, "call me C.C. Most people do."

The boy staggered back like someone punched him in the gut, totally unprepared for  _that._ He quickly gathered his composure, noticing the curious look the Gothamite gave him. "Sorry," Billy croaked out, coughing to clear his suddenly jammed throat. "I uh- knew someone with that name. They are- they used to be important to me."  

The man raised his dark eyebrows, making nerves tingle on the back of Billy's neck. He  _has_ to know the man from somewhere, and he also had this sour feeling that he was lying about  _something._ It was an unsettling feeling, to know that someone was lying right to your face without being able to tell what they were lying about. Gothamites were notorious for answering in half truths and keeping secrets til their graves. That is, if this man was even from Gotham in the first place.

_(He couldn't call him C.C, just **couldn't.** The name was too bitter on his tongue, full of what ifs and questions that would never be answered.)_

"I know. He's why I'm here, actually."

Every muscle in Billy's body decided to stop functioning, his breath cut of, eyes going wide. His mouth gaped, trying to make sound, but nothing came out for nearly a minute, and when sound did come out it was almost too jumbled up to be understood. 

"What- why... why would- come to me-? I mean, I don't know- remember- it's been so long-" Billy stuttered, flushing in embarrassment. He hasn't run over his words like that since he was eight, right after his parents died. He thought he finally got over it, but now it was coming back in full force.

"My questions aren't really about your dad, though it's going to depend on your answer," the Gothamite said seriously, his eyes suddenly flashing darkly behind his glasses, mouth turning into a grim line. Every feeling in Billy's body abruptly went numb, the tugging on his mind telling him that this man is familiar suddenly all making  _sense._ And gods, Billy just got himself into a  _shit show_ of trouble.

"My questions are about Captain Marvel. And why him and your dad seem to have strikingly similar features." The man,  _Batman,_ took a slow step forward, making the boy feel as if he was trapped with a giant blocking his only exit.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you William?"       


	5. The Distance Between

The first coherent thought Billy was able to make was,  _Batman knows who I am._

The second one was,  _but he doesn't know I'm Captain Marvel._

At least, that's what the boy was praying heavily on at this point. If Batman knew he was Captain Marvel, then it would be highly unlikely he would hunt Billy down in civilian clothes to ask questions  _about_ Captain Marvel (after all, the guy's only told his identity to Superman and Wonder Woman, so he wouldn't risk it like that). But then... that raised a question in the boy's mind-

_Do I really look like my dad when I'm Captain Marvel?_

I mean sure, he's  _seen_ himself while he's in his godly form, and he knew Marvel was a reflection of what he would look like if he was an adult, but never once did he think he looked like his  _dad._ Granted, he didn't really remember that much about his dad, let alone what he looked like down to the last detail, but you'd think he would have noticed  _something._ Nothing was adding up correctly in the boy's head, every theory and thought bouncing around uncontrollably. It didn't help that Batman was  _still_ staring at him, not 100% the Bat since he was dressed as a civilian but enough to make Billy tremble where he stood. He couldn't believe that he didn't realize it before, but it's usually hard to tell if someone you see on a regular basis is the same person if you normally only see half of their emotionless face. 

Oh yeah, and do you know how  _weird_ it is to actually see  _emotion_ on the face that was supposed to represent fear and the darkness? The only emotions Billy has ever seen on the Dark Knight have been silent disappointment and- well- that's  _it._ Yes, he's developed his own way of kind of understanding Batman and his body language, but that was as  _Captain Marvel,_ not  _Billy Batson._

"Why do you n-need  _me_ if you want to know about Captain Marvel?" Billy managed to ask, his voice shaking slightly. "Can't you- uh- look him up on the internet or something?"

Batman rolled his left wrist in a circle, something Billy knows he only does when he's debating with himself. It was odd to be able to see that the Dark Knight as a civilian wasn't all that different from the vigilante, it that way. It made him look  _human,_ something he never thought the Bat could do.

"The thing is, the internet doesn't account for things like heroes being carbon copies of dead men," Batman said carefully. "I'm a journalist of sorts, investigative things, mostly. I happened to come across a picture of your family while I was researching something and well, let's just say I noticed a few  _similarities_ between your dad and Marvel. It didn't take too long to find out he had a son, and well, here we are."

_Liar. You were trying to find information about me... because you're still pissed you don't have anything._

_If I do this right, you **still** won't have anything. _

Billy Batson's next thought came to him surprisingly calmly, much unlike everything else that had some to him so far.  _I need to get away from here. I need to make sure he can never find me again._ That meant cameras. The boy always made sure to avoid the city's cameras when he changed to and from Captain Marvel, but he wasn't as cautious when he was just strolling down the street as Billy Batson, after all, why would he have needed to? But now he had no doubt that the cameras were how Batman found him in the first place. They were more than likely why the Dark Knight knew to go to Rana's Diner, the thought making his blood run cold.

The boy glanced to the side, knowing that right next to this building was a slightly shorter one. If he could jump the small gap between the two, he could use his knowledge of Fawcett City (and Batman's lack of) to escape. Batman instantly tensed, and Billy realized he must have noticed where the boy looked, and before the Dark Knight could react properly, Billy bolted. 

"Hey!" came shouting from Batman's mouth, but Billy ignored it, instead focusing on building up speed so that he could make the jump between buildings. His heart pounded in his ears, adrenaline sky rocketing as the edge of the building came closer and closer. He could hear Batman right behind him already, the brush of fingertips tingling his whipping shirt. With another burst of speed, Billy jumped with all the force he could muster. For what felt like eternity, he flew over the gap, but unlike every other time he's flown, there were no magical gods to keep him afloat. The ground below him seemed like miles away, but with barely any warning, the roof of the next building was coming towards him.

Billy's eyes widened until they nearly bugged out of his head, his limbs flailing wildly. In an instant the slow motion of the world suddenly sped up, and the boy found himself landing harshly on the roof of the smaller building, his right ankle twisting painfully. Billy gasped at the pain, his right knee giving out, but he swiftly forced himself up, knowing that Batman wouldn't be far behind. 

After all, Billy might know Fawcett, but the Dark Knight was an expert on running through the rooftops.

 

 

Of all the things Bruce expected William to do, jumping off the building they were currently on was not high on his list at all. He didn't think the boy would be that uncomfortable or appalled at answering questions about his dad that he would be so reckless, but hey, what did he know? So far he's chased the boy through the city, climbed a fire escape, and now was chasing him once again through the rooftops. 

Bruce was only three seconds maximum behind William, but it was just enough to give a buffer that the boy needed. The man found himself cringing in sympathy when William clearly twisted his ankle, but was surprised when he didn't give into the pain like most children would.

But like stated before, William was not most children.      

By the time Bruce smoothly landed on the rooftop, rolling to absorb any unwanted impact force, the boy was already halfway across the roof, only slightly limping. The injury barely slowed him down at all, leaving the man to wonder just how many times William has done something similar. He recalled stories Jason once told him long ago about how bullies on the streets would pick on and chase the smaller kids, and how he would sometimes step in so that they could get away. Was William one of the ones who got chased? If so, did anyone ever help  _him?_

_Focus, Bruce._

The man easily began gaining on the boy now that he was injured, but it seemed William had one last ace up his sleeve, darting left at the last moment diving towards a stairwell that Bruce hadn't noticed before. Because of how much momentum he had built up, it took the man slowing down considerably in order to make the sharp turn as the boy had. By then, William was jumped down the stair two at a time, jumping all the way off when he got about fifteen feet from the ground. Bruce quickly followed suit, only going down maybe five stairs before hopping off and landing on the alley floor.

Bruce's eyes darted around, looking for William, only to catch a glimpse of his red shirt as he exited the mouth of the alley and onto the street. The man ran to catch up, but just as he exited, someone slammed right into Bruce, almost knocking him off his feet. He didn't even process the man he ran into, only looked around in shock as the street that had been bare only a few moments ago was now filled with both people and vehicles. 

_How-_

The man ignored the older man who was trying to ask him if he was alright, looking around desperately, trying to find William. But he was nowhere to be found, lost in the swarming sea of Fawcett City.

_"Dammit,"_ Bruce hissed under his breath, turning his gaze low as he stalked down the streets of Fawcett. He was no closer to understanding anything that was going on with Captain Marvel, and now he potentially had a child he had to worry about.

_"Dammit!"_

Why couldn't anything ever be simple?

 

 

"Okay, something's bothering you, more than usual at least. Spill."

Batman slowly looked up from where he was sitting to see Superman, an eyebrow raised with arms crossed in front of his bright blue chest. The Dark Knight sighed to himself, resisting the urge to bury his face in his hands and pout like a child. Of course no one on this goddamn Watchtower, which was filled with dozens of other heroes, would just leave him  _alone._ Even if it was Clark, someone he trusted (as much as he trusted, anyway) it was still kind of annoying. He had paperwork to do, data to analyse, and whatever else that needed to be addressed could be taken cared of by someone else. Most heroes knew not to bother Batman unless there was currently an end of the world scenario that needed immediate attention. 

Clearly, Clark fucking Kent didn't get the memo.

"I'm busy," Batman grunted, turning his gaze back to his work. He had no intention on telling the Kryptonian about his current struggles with Captain Marvel or getting bested by a literal twelve year old. That was just kinda embarrassing at this point, and the vigilante's stomach clenched with failure every time he thought about it. He underestimated someone who showed all the signs of being just as normal kid. Well, a normal kid that lived on the streets. But it wasn't like Jason was outrunning him when he first came to live with him.

Even without looking at Clark, Batman knew he was rolling his eyes. "You're  _always_ busy, Bruce. This is different. I can hear it in your heart rate and blood pressure. Your teeth have been grinding together for the past two and a half hours, and I know for a fact that if you were 'fine' then all of that paper work would have been done at least an hour ago."

Damn Clark and his ability to hear and see pretty much  _everything._ It didn't matter if Batman lined his suit with lead, that didn't stop super hearing. "That seems like an invasion of privacy, don't you think?" the Dark Knight asked gruffly, still not looking up. 

"Think of it as making sure you're still functioning. I sure Alfred would appreciate it of you had someone to talk to."

"I talk to myself."

The Kryptonian gave a breathy laugh. "And that's the equivalent of two psychopaths debating if it would be a good idea to get medical help. Neither think it's a good idea, so it's just the two of them going back and agreeing completely with one another that it would be a bad move." Clark placed a hand on Batman's shoulder, his hand warm enough to be felt through the layers of Kevlar. "Now, if you get a medical professional in there, then at least you have some disagreement that can be worked upon."

"Am I the psychopath in this situation?"

"Are you ever  _not?"_

Unfortunately, Clark had a point. He remembers very clearly the many times he's had to literally drug Tim before he listened to reason and finally went to bed after going two days straight without any. In many ways, his third son was too much like the Dark Knight, and one of those things being that they're both major hypocrites. Tim would lecture him and say that he needed someone to talk to while Batman would lecture that Tim needed to sleep more, but in the end neither did either of those things.

This time, Batman really  _did_ sigh, pressing a button under the table that would prevent anyone from entering the room until further notice. When the system finished running its course, Bruce pushed back the cowl covering his face and ran a hand through his slicked back hair. It was always easier to deal with in the cowl if it was slicked back, with no chance of hair getting in the way, even as short as it already was. 

"I'm not sure you'd want to know," Bruce stated, knowing that it wasn't exactly true. Clark's always been as interested in Captain Marvel just as Bruce has, though he had a different way of approaching it. The Kryptonians always been more of an open and friendly person compared to Bruce, and his strategy usually involved something with befriending and gaining trust. The thing is, that hadn't worked with Marvel at all. If anything, he grew  _more_ secretive when others tried to befriend him, even when it came to Superman.

"Honestly, I could live my life without knowing a lot of what I know now, so I don't think what you have to say will traumatize me any more," Clark replied with a hint of humor in his voice. But there was a seriousness there as well, something trying to encourage Bruce, and that was only amplified by the gentle squeeze of the hand still on his shoulder.

With another second of thought, Bruce stood up from his chair, feeling the Kryptonian unnatural heat fall from his shoulder. He then walked over to the main computer in his office, logged on, and clicked on the file that held all of his information on Captain Marvel. The first thing that came up was the article about the Batson family, along with their picture and one of Captain Marvel. In the reflection of the monitor, Bruce could see Clark raise his eyebrows, quickly skimming the article.

The Kryptonian was a smart man. He could put two and two together on his own, he could see the conclusions Bruce has come to and why.

"Have you tried contracting either of their children?" Clark asked, still reading. Bruce huffed, his gloved hand running down the side of his face.

"I tried with the boy, William. Both are off the grid as far as anyone knows, but I was able to find him. He, uh, let's just say he managed to get away before I could get an answers." He slightly glared at Clark when the Kryptonian opened his mouth with a large grin on his face, no doubt ready to make some joke about a kid managing to get away from  _Batman,_ and his mouth closed with a clank of his teeth. The smile didn't go away, though. 

"So, you think Captain Marvel is impersonating this man, who's been dead for several years at this point," Clark said instead, crossing his arms again.

"Yes, something like that."

"Why?"

"I have no idea."

"Is there a possibility it is C.C Batson?"

Bruce's fingers twitched. "I don't know."

"Have you come to anyone else with this information?"

Damn you Clark. "No, not really. Alfred and Dick have seen it, but I haven't explicitly talked to them about anything." 

The Kryptonian sighed. "Well, I guess-"

A timid knock on the door of the office interrupted whatever Clark was going to say. Both heroes turned towards the sound, waiting for the person on the other side to say anything. Most knew that when the door was shut to not attempt to enter the office, so whoever was knocking either had some serious balls or serious problems that had to be addressed.

"Ah, Batman, Superman?" came the voice of none other than Captain Marvel, sounding slightly panicked. "I know you're both probably busy, but there was just a call to the Watchtower that I thought you guys should know about." There was a shaky breath as Marvel tried to steady himself.

"Black Adam's been spotted in Metropolis, and he's destroying everything in sight."       


	6. The Mind's Control (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll give cookies to whoever figures out the pun in the title.

After the whole fiasco with Batman, Billy found himself on edge (more than usually, anyway). He avoided every camera he possibly could, didn't go back to Rana's Diner in fear it would put Ricky and the other workers in danger, didn't offer to help any of the shop owners like he normally would, and ended up eating half a bag of mostly stale popcorn that he found in the trash as a meal. Normally one of the store owners would give him something more fresh, but this would have to do. Billy's eaten  _much_ worse after all, and he could handle being a little more hungry than usual if it meant keeping the few people he cared for safe. It didn't help that the entire time he was gradually limping around the city, slowing him down immensely and causing some people to give him odd looks. He just grinded his teeth and went on, making the mental note to get some medical supplies when he could. 

He went on patrol earlier than he normally would, but the boy needed the comfort and security of being next to invincible for a little while, along with ability to walk without pain going through him every second. There were very few crimes, most either dealt with by the police before he could get there or easily put to a stop by Captain Marvel. All and all, it was still a beautiful day in Fawcett City, even if his mood was put down slightly.

It seemed that his mood might be put down even  _more,_ seeing as he had to go to the Watchtower for his shift. Marvel stared at the Zeta tube for many minutes, wondering if it was possible to use his communicator and ask another hero if they could take his shift. He  _really_ wasn't entirely sure what he'd do if he encountered Batman. Fumble over his words more than usual and look like a fool? Avoid him like the plague and cause the Bats already high paranoia to shoot through the roof? Breakdown and reveal that he was really the twelve year old boy Batman chased around Fawcett earlier that day?

Yeah, he  _really_ didn't want to do that. That was just  _begging_ for Batman to kick him off the Justice League, probably the best thing that's ever happened to him. And the sad thing was? Billy wasn't even sure he would protest all that much.

Don't get him wrong, it's not like he doesn't  _enjoy_ being a member of the League or anything, it's just that, well, he's never really felt like a  _teammate_ to his, you know,  _teammates._ That's more than likely his fault, seeing as he keeps everything about himself private in one way or another... but he just  _couldn't_ tell the League his most closely guarded secret like it was free candy. He  _tried_ to make friends with the heroes, he really did, but all of them wanted to know about  _him,_ like, the  _civilian_ him. That always caused him to shy away from their interactions, until the hero simply stopped trying to talk to him all together. It hurt every time it happened, but Billy accepted this as an inevitable outcome that just had to happen. 

After all, who would take him seriously if they found out a  _kid_ had been on the Justice League all this time?

Billy sighed, finally deciding to suck it up and do his duties. He stepped into the phone booth that acted as Fawcett City's Zeta tube, and computerized voice authorizing him and teleporting the red clad hero to the Watchtower. He stepped out of the tube, the minimal effects from the travel fading away quickly as he walked through the halls towards the monitor room, where he will be spending his next few hours. Wonder Woman, who he didn't know until now would be his partner during this shift, was already there, the monitor she was watching pulled up over the Indian Ocean. 

The Amazon's head turned at his entrance, and she gave Marvel a gentle smile. Billy smiled back, silently glad that he got paired up with Wonder Woman. She was one of the few in the League who tried to treat him like a normal (well,  _'normal'_ was a loose term when it came to those like them) human being, and for that he was grateful. She also didn't mind having serious conversations with the hero, whether it be a philosophical debate or discussion about the world's current politics. Anything was possible when it came to the Amazon. Even when there were no words exchanged between them, the silence was comfortable and soothing.

Billy took the other chair at the monitors, quickly going through the motions of setting up what he needed to for the shift. He honestly didn't expect anything extraordinary to happen; after all, that's how 95% of these things were. The few threats that did pop up were usually dealt with by a hero down on Earth before anyone could call it in, and most world destruction events came from aliens or other space things, not Earth, and those were easily seen before they arrived (most of the time, at least). 

All and all, the red clad hero was readying himself for a few peaceful hours with Wonder Woman, maybe contact one or two heroes if a situation looked fishy. Just like most every other time.

But when Billy finished setting up everything only a couple minutes later, that was  _not_ what was going on. Just as he leaned back in his chair, a red flashing alert came onto one of the screens, the one that looked over the eastern United States. A few clicks later revealed that the alert came from Metropolis, and it was a rather major one at that. Superman was currently at the Watchtower, but he was in Batman's office, which was under shut down mode that didn't allow anyone in without explicit permission.

Okay. He could deal with that. Maybe Martian Manhunter and a few others could deal with this- but then Billy froze.

From one of the cameras they had feed of in Metropolis, he could see what the threat was.

It was Black Adam.

Wonder Woman saw this too, her face twisting up in confusion. "I thought Black Adam had made some sort of truce with you and agreed to stay in Khandaq for the time being. Why is he in Metropolis of all places?" she questioned, her relaxed muscles growing tense. 

"I-I have no idea. He's never done something like this before-" Billy cringed as Adam sent a lightning bolt through a building, shattering all of the glass. "We have to notify the entire League. No one can take him on his own- I'll go get Batman and Superman."

Wonder Woman nodded, a plan formulating in her mind. "I'll gather everyone I can and bring them to Metropolis and try to contain him as much as we can." And with that she ran off, already opening lines on her communicator. Before the reality of what he was about to do could catch up to him, the red clad hero flew as fast as he could to Batman's office, staring at the door for a few moments.

He really didn't want to face the Dark Knight, but right now, he had no choice. Lives were at stake here.

Billy knocked on the door, the faint talking he could hear on the other side ceasing immediately. Gathering up the courage of Achilles, he said, "ah, Batman, Superman? I know you're both probably busy, but there was just a call to the Watchtower that I thought you guys should know about." He took a deep breath, hoping he didn't sound as nervous as he felt. "Black Adam's been spotted in Metropolis, and he's destroying everything in sight."     

 

 

The conversation between Bruce and Clark, as important as it was, immediately went to the back of Bruce's mind when he heard that. In one smooth motion he shut down the computer and tugged his cowl back on, his face once again turning back into the hard and emotionless rock that made up Batman instead. He stalked to the door, Superman right behind him as he opened it, seeing Captain Marvel on the other side. He seemed nervous for whatever reason, though at the moment the Dark Knight attributed it to Black Adam, the red clad hero's mortal enemy. 

"What's going on in Metropolis now?" Batman demanded, already programing the Zeta tubes to the giant city as he lead the other two swiftly down the hall. He could practically  _feel_ the anxiousness rolling off of Superman in waves, both from his city being under threat and the possibility of facing the god like villain. He remained calm though, keeping his emotions under check.

"As far as Wonder Woman and I could tell, Adam's just destroying buildings as he sees fit, but hasn't proactively attacked civilians," Captain Marvel replied, sounding more and more confident as time went on. "She's already gathered everyone see can to head to Metropolis, and probably waiting for us to arrive before making a move. You know how, ah,  _difficult_ Adam can be when he's angry."

Superman grunted as they approached the Zeta tube, muttering darkly, "that would be the understatement of the year."

Batman supposed there was a certain level of frustration when it came to someone as powerful as the Kryptonian facing an enemy he knows he can't beat, at least not alone. As far as anyone on the League knows, Captain Marvel has been the only one to ever defeat Black Adam without any outside help, though even then the red clad hero barely made it. 

"Why is he out of Khandaq? Doesn't this violate the agreement you two made nearly a year ago?" Batman pressed a button on the Zeta, which opened without asking for directions. Behind him, he could sense the magical hero's discomfort, like he was expecting the question but not entirely sure how to answer it.

"I honestly have no idea. I haven't talked to him in quite a while..." Marvel trailed off, but that was all the Dark Knight needed. It might not be a definite answer, but it was something to work with.

The three heroes stepped into the Zeta tube, and less then a second later they were all gone.

 

 

When they got to Metropolis, there was destruction everywhere. Scorch marks from where lightning had continuously struck littered the city, shattered glass and dust covering it all in a thin layer. The civilians had already been evacuated at this point, but that didn't stop the nagging fear in the back of Billy's mind that someone way about to get hurt. 

They quickly found Wonder Woman, along with more than a dozen other heroes, all ready for the battle ahead. The Amazon and Dark Knight quickly conversed with one another, though their words were so quiet that Billy wasn't able to hear what they were saying. In the distance, the red clad hero could hear the roar and crashing of more lightning, followed by the deafening shattering of more glass. All the heroes tensed, all of them knowing that Black Adam was no normal villain. Many of them were human or susceptible to magic, meaning they were more vulnerable to the magical villain and his powers. The only people among them who could realistically take down Adam were Zatanna, Dr. Fate, Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel. But that was only four people against the powerhouse that was Black Adam, an ancient being that's been around longer than most of the modern gods. 

"Alright everyone, you know the drill when dealing with Adam," came to calm voice of Superman, instantly soothing the worst of everyone's nerves. If anyone were to be afraid of Black Adam, it would be Superman, but the Kryptonian still kept a level head. It was one of the reasons he made such a good leader during times of crisis, something Billy could only hope to accomplish one day.

In the back of his mind, the red clad hero thought it was kinda sad that they had an entire plan that dealt specifically with Black Adam, but it was deemed necessary when the villain kept attacking cities time and time again. But at the same times, everything about this situation just felt kind of...  _off._ Sure, they knew Black Adam was attacking Metropolis, and they knew his wasn't the first or even the fifth time it's happened, but at the same times, Billy couldn't ignore the rock in his gut telling him something was wrong.

He didn't have time to ponder this thought, however. The heroes began splitting up to do their designated rolls, and Captain Marvel followed, joining Wonder Woman, Superman, and Green Lantern, though it was the one with the dark skin. Was John his name? Billy was horrible with names, especially when it came to the many Green Lantern's that were constantly leaving and coming to Earth. 

_Oh well,_ Billy thought to himself, hoping that everything wasn't about to go horribly wrong.  _Here goes nothing._           

 

 

Everything was going  _horribly_ wrong.

Within the first few minutes of the battle that broke out between the Justice League and Black Adam, nearly half the League was taken out of commission by the villain. The demigod was brutal in all of his attacks, showing not one bit of mercy as he rained down lightning on them all. Only those who could withstand the magical bolts or move out of the way in time had a chance against him, meaning that pretty much all of the none-meta heroes were down for the count. 

It didn't help that the rock in Billy's gut only got heavier and harder to ignore as time went on, the ache  _begging_ him to listen. Something was  _wrong,_ but the wisdom of Solomon could only move so fast when most of his concentration was spent trying to find a way to potentially knock Adam out. That was easier said than done, but he's done it before, and he knows he can do it again.

That is, if the hero could even get  _close enough_ to do anything. 

Billy dodged yet another lightning bolt, flying sharply around the villain as he sent his own bolt. Adam merely waved his hand, making the bold disappear with nothing more than a thought. The red clad hero growled to himself, flying directly at Adam in hopes he could knock the villain off balance, but like every other time, just as he got close, an invisible force field slammed into him, making sparks fly everywhere. Unlike most lightning and electricity, somehow these sparks actually  _burned_ the magical hero, singeing his cape and darkening the parts of his skin that touched the force field. 

The magical hero flew back to a distance, observing who was still able to fight. Both Wonder Woman and Superman were still on their feet, though both looked like they were about to pass out. Dr. Fate was still doing his thing, but Zatanna was knocked out by a rogue bolt of lightning a little while ago. Surprisingly enough, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Flash were still in, though the archer was keeping his distance. Batman of course was still grappling around, throwing the occasional batarang and bomb at the magical villain, who just brushed them off like they were nothing.

Billy looked back at Black Adam, finding now that he  _really_ looked, he could tell that something about him wasn't right. For one, his arms weren't crossed like they normally were, instead stiffly at his sides, hands clenched tightly into fists. His feet, which usually slightly pointed at the ground in a relaxed manner, were now harshly flexed so that they were perfectly parallel. Throughout the entirety of the fight, Adam hadn't said one word, which was very much unlike him. Whenever the red clad hero and the villain fought in the past, Adam was always sneering little jabs at him, his thickly accented voice echoing across their battle grounds- 

It all hit the hero square in the face, blinking wildly as he realized what was going on. He silently hoped his team would hear him, calling out, "this isn't Black Adam! Something's controlling-"

But before could get the rest of his sentence out, Captain Marvel was suddenly attacked by Adam, the villain shoving him right into a nearby building. The hero grabbed the other demigod by the shoulders, forcing their positions around so that it was  _Adam_ who was slammed into the building, dust raining all around them from the impact. 

"Adam, this isn't you!" Billy yelled trying to get through to the other demigod, but a look in his eyes was enough to tell the hero that there was no way Black Adam could hear him. Adam's dark eyes were fully glazed over, not reacting to anything around him, almost like he was sleepwalking. 

Who would have the power to control the villain so  _fully,_ without  _any_ resistance whatsoever? There were so few telepaths in the world, and an even smaller portion if them were evil, let alone have enough power to do this. Who could-

Black Adam hit him with a large bolt of lightning, sending Billy back and burning his skin. His muscles abruptly gave out, causing him to fall from the sky like a lead ball. The only sounds he could hear anymore was the screaming of the wind as it rushed passed him, and then the entire world darkened around him.   


	7. The Mind's Control (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love the idea of Billy and Adam being in some odd son/father relationship. That's all I have to say.

Batman had only three seconds to process what was happening around him before Black Adam came back into the open.

One, more than half the Justice League was already taken out in one way or another, whether it be injury or simply knocked out. Thankfully, most of the magic users and heavier hitters were still in the game, meaning their chances against the villain were still rather high compared to what they could be. That was the more optimistic way of looking at it, but Diana's always saying he needs to be more positive so he guessed this would be a good place to start. 

Two, apparently something was wrong with Black Adam if whatever Captain Marvel was trying to say is correct. Something about him being controlled? It must be someone or something pretty damn powerful in order to take out such a powerful demigod, but at the same time, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. After all, Superman's been manipulated and controlled many of times before, along with others such as Martian Manhunter, Dr. Fate, Wonder Woman, and even himself. If Black Adam was indeed being controlled by some outside force, then this whole attack might be apart of something bigger than they anticipated, and for once, the villain might be totally innocent. Wouldn't that be something.

Three, Captain Marvel was hit with something so powerful that it completely knocked him out cold, sending the red clad hero falling to the ground. He was covered in burns and blackened ash, and it hit Batman right then and there that he's never once seen the magical being with injuries. Whatever was manipulating Adam was so strong that it could take out their most magic resistant hero without blinking an eye. 

Holy shit.

In the blink of an eye, Superman caught the Captain before he could hit the ground, and in the same moment Black Adam came out of the mini crater created by him and the hero. Lightning crackled around him, the bright flashes of light somehow looking  _dark._ There was an odd black tinge to Adam's lightning, almost making him look like he was in a black and white picture. His eyes were lit with the same light, unseeing and blank. Just a puppet for whatever the master wanted him to do. 

The Man of Steel was nearly shot out of the sky from the lightning that exploded from Adam's body, but he managed to dart out of the way and land safely on the ground next to Batman (or, as safe as you could be in this situation). Captain Marvel remained limp in the Kryptonians arms, but he was still breathing, if just barely. The vigilante tried to ignore the clenching of his heart at the sight of the usually so energetic and boisterous hero so lifeless. It didn't help that the injures seemed to be getting worse as time went on, like it was eating at Marvel's supposedly impenetrable skin. 

Superman cursed under his breath, undoubtedly coming to the same conclusions as Batman had. An arrow flew at Adam, but the demigod stopped it mid air, making it hover in front of him. Less than a second later the arrow exploded, knocking the villain back a considerable amount.

"Well damn, I didn't expect that to work at _all,"_ Green Arrow exclaimed, dodging behind a car as Black Adam threw lighting at the archer in retaliation. While it was a rather stupid move when you were a simple human taking on a god, Batman saw how it gave him and Superman enough time to get themselves together and fight back, an effective distraction. It seemed Green Arrow could be clever when he wasn't constantly flirting with everyone in the League.

Superman took advantage of the momentary distraction, swiftly grabbing the Dark Knight by the collar of his cape and flying them behind a large chunk of concrete that fell from a building. The found Wonder Woman and Flash behind it as well, the speedster with blood dripping down the side of his mouth but otherwise unharmed, along with the Amazonian. She looked just as regal as always, even if she had to retreat for the time being.

"Is the Captain alright?" Wonder Woman asked immediately, looking worriedly at her fellow League member. She knew just how resilient and powerful he was, and to see him defeated as if he were no more than a fly was... disturbing to say the least. How were they supposed to take down Adam when Captain Marvel stood no chance? 

"He's breathing," was all Batman was able to reply with, because honestly, he had no  _idea_ if Captain Marvel was alright. Whatever magic he was hit with was still harming him as they spoke, but none of them had anyway of knowing how to stop it. They couldn't do anything to figure it out as well, seeing as Black Adam was still destroying everything in sight without showing any signs of stopping.

Fuck. 

This was just one of the many reasons Batman  _hated_ magic and mind control, a sentiment he was sure shared by the vast majority of the Justice League. Both were unpredictable and too random to think through unless you could manage either on your own, and when you put them together, well, lets just say shit hits the fan  _very_ quickly. 

The Earth began to shake as another large bolt hit the ground, followed by the way too casual sounding Green Arrow in the Dark Knight's comm. "Hey, uh, I know you guys are probably coming up with a plan or something, but could you hurry it up a bit? I  _really_ don't want to become burnt chicken, and- hey-!"

The archer was cut off by yet another bolt of lightning, though Batman had the sickening feeling that this one hit true. "Green Arrow, come in," he demanded, but there was no reply. He cursed, turning to the remaining Justice League members. He could now hear Dr. Fate doing his best to contain the mind controlled villain, but clearly even the sorcerer was out of his element here. Fate was used to dealing with demons and minor monsters, not full blown demigods with powers that very much rivaled his own. They only had so much time before Dr. Fate too would be overwhelmed. 

Before any of the heroes could offer any suggestions, Flash suddenly said, "look! Marvel's waking up!"

And indeed, the red clad hero was. His bright blue eyes were lined with pain, but they were clear, and Batman had an abrupt feeling of deja vu pool in his stomach. Superman gently put the other hero down as he gained more and more of his barings, able to stand up without any assistance after a long minute. The Captain didn't say anything, but it was clear by the way he cringed at the sounds around him that he was still recovering from whatever magic hit him, observing the burns on his body with a confused frown. He didn't even seem to notice the hand Superman placed on his shoulder, or the questioning concern from Wonder Woman. It was like he didn't notice anything around him at all.

Captain Marvel looked up at the sky, tilting his head to the side like he was listening for something. "Captain," Superman was saying, a slight tinge annoyance in his tone. "Are you okay-"

But the Man of Steel didn't have any time to finish his question before the magical hero shot into the air, heading straight for Black Adam.

 

 

Billy couldn't believe he didn't realize it before. After all, how many powerful telepathic villains that would know how to get access to Black Adam and effectively do damage to himself did he know? Really, there was only one, and apparently it took him getting knocked off his ass to remember who it was.

Mister Mind.

Really, Billy should have figured it out immediately, but he hasn't seen the evil worm in over two years at this point. He thought he got rid of the thing when he locked Mister Mind in a magic jar and chucked him into space (hopefully back towards Venus, where the bugger came from) but clearly that didn't work out very well. Did anyone on the Justice League even  _know_ that Mister Mind  _existed?_ The last time they fought was before he was a member... and really, no one outside of Fawcett City would actually know who he was. Many of the younger kids in Fawcett probably wouldn't even know who he is.

Well dang. 

Black Adam (or at least, the body of Black Adam) didn't have any time to react before Billy slammed into him, doing his best to shove the other demigod into the asphalt below. He put extra emphasis on hitting Adam's head, knowing that while it won't actually hurt the villain that it could possibly cause Mister Mind to lose control of his body. It was kind of a long shot, but it could work. The best thing to do would be to incapacitate the worm, but he was so small and Billy had next to no way of knowing where he would be. He was so powerful that he could be doing this entire thing from halfway across the world, and no one would ever be the wiser.

No wonder the red clad hero hated fighting him so much. Magic he could deal with, after all, it made up his very existence, but mind games were a completely different ball game. With much harder rules to understand. And a lot harder to win. Basically, what he's saying is that of all the things he's had to go up against, telepathy is his least favorite of all.

Black Adam, seemingly had enough of being pushed around, punched the hero squarely in the jaw, his fist infused with lightning. Normally, this wouldn't bother Billy one bit while he was in his godly form, but the electricity burned harshly across his skin. He hissed in pain, but refused to let go of the mind controlled villain. Punch after punch came, and Captain Marvel only gritted his teeth and held on, trying again and again to force the worm to let go.

A particularly nasty punch to the magical hero's gut gave Adam the advantage to turn their positions over, the demigod wrapping a burning hand around his opposites throat. Billy gasped, the lightning burning away at his skin, draining him of power. "Adam!" he managed to choke out, grasping desperately at his villains hand. "It's me- Billy! You-you have to  _stop-"_

 _That_ seemed to do something, Black Adam's dead eyes suddenly gaining the smallest threads of life back in them. It was gone within a blink of an eye, but it was something.

Using his legs, the red clad hero shoved Adam's body off of his own, flying into the air. Adam followed him with a growl, attempting to grab the hero again with no avail. "I know you're in there, Adam!" Billy yelled, dodging a punch, feeling the heat trying to burn him. He couldn't keep this up for much longer, not without collapsing from pure exhaustion, something that the stamina of Atlas  _should_ prevent. Whatever magic Mister Mind somehow got ahold of was slowly eating away at Captain Marvel's very being, gradually weakening him. Blood ran down his arms, bruises covered his ribs, and other injuries he should be immune to littered his body.

"You have to fight it!" Billy darted at the other demigod, managing to trap him in a headlock, though he could tell it wouldn't last very long, especially since everywhere he touched he was burned by the magical electricity. He had to keep trying. "You're the closest thing I have to a family, Adam, did I ever tell you that?" the hero said, speaking directly into the villains ear. "I know you tried to kill me a lot at first and you hurt a lot of people, but it's still true."

Black Adam's struggling dwindled a little bit, the burning lightning that covered his body fading just the slightest. "Believe it or not, you showed me more kindness than any adult ever has, even though you know my true being. You don't treat me like I'm just some kid who's way in over their head, don't treat me like I'm less than worthless. Trust me when I say that always hurts more than anything." 

The other demigod's movement ever so slowly stopped until there was hardly any fight left. Billy didn't notice the remaining Justice League members below them, too focused on Black Adam. "I know we haven't see each other in a while, and that's my fault. We should meet up again sometime, just you and me. Remember that ice cream shop in Fawcett you liked so much? The one with the hundred flavors of ice cream? We could go there, after all, you need to get caught up on all the modern culture and stuff. I'm probably not the best person to do that, but hey, I can do my best."

The magical hero was trembling at this point, his forehead dripping with sweat. He might have stopped Adam's struggling, but the lightning refused to leave, continuing the steady drain on his energy. The edges of his vision were trying to darken, but Billy held on, forcing himself to stay conscious. He could  _not_ pass out again, not when he was so  _close._

"Billy..." Adam whispered, a note of confusion in his voice. "Billy."

"Th-that's me-"

He couldn't hold on any longer, not when he couldn't even feel his fingers. There was a voice calling his name, actually, there were  _voices_ calling his name. Both of his names to be exact, but he couldn't tell who. All he could tell was that everything hurt, and that he was  _really_ tired. A nap sounded  _great._

For the second time that day, Captain Marvel fell from the sky. But this time, Superman wasn't the one to catch him.

Instead, the Justice League watched in shock as the hero's own villain snatched him from the sky, and disappeared with a flash of light.             


	8. The Magic of Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now it's time for more of my son and his awkward semi super villain dad that doesn't understand pop culture and why there are so many flavors of ice cream.

Surprisingly, chaos didn't consume the Justice League until three hours after Captain Marvel and Black Adam disappeared.

At first, there had been shocked acceptance from those who were still conscious and able to see the whole ordeal. I mean, it was one thing to recklessly get right back into the fight with a villain that literally kicked your ass not five minutes ago when you were still very clearly injured, but it was another to somehow subdue said villain by simply  _talking_ to him before disappearing without any warning. Really, Batman couldn't think of any villain that would willfully stand down simply because their hero  _asked_ them to, especially if they're under mind control. 

And since when have Captain Marvel and Black Adam been on good terms anyway? As far as anyone knew, the two hated each other with every cliched ounce of  _you're supposed to be my replacement and I'm salty about it._ (That part just made him chuckle, mostly because it always made him think of Jason and Tim, but then he stops when he remembers that Jason tried to kill Tim many of times and well, that wasn't exactly  _funny.)_

So yeah. The knocked out Justice League members were promptly scooped up by the awake ones, taken to the Watchtower for treatment, and one by one they began to wake up. Batman stayed on Earth for a little bit to help with damage control and costs (Alfred was going to have a field day with this one) but then immediately went to the Watchtower once everything was finished, not having the patience to deal with the media at the moment, which he concluded was very understandable given what's happened over the past few hours.

He hoped for just a minute of peace before everything blew up in his face again, but the reality was, the Dark Knight didn't even have until the Zeta tube beamed it up to catch his breath. The second he stepped out he was met by a very beat up Black Canary demanding, "where's Captain Marvel?"

"With Black Adam," was Batman's instantaneous response, not wanting say anything else. While that part was true, the truth was, he had no idea  _where_ the two demigods were. He would like to find out, but Canary was still blocking his path, preventing Batman from getting to his office to begin investigating.

"And  _where_ exactly is  _Black Adam?"_

"I'll tell you when I find out."

Canary glared at the Dark Knight, but eventually let the vigilante pass, her arms crossed and somehow still managing to look intimidating even if she was bruised enough to rival an eggplant. On the way to his office, Batman was stopped by at least five (he last count after Barry) other heroes and was asked about Captain Marvel, all questions he couldn't answer. 

_Just like normal,_ Batman thought to himself bitterly, opening the office door with more force than strictly necessary.  _Accept this time, everyone knows it._

The door closed behind him with a slam, but the vigilante barely noticed it, already too focused on the computer in front of him. He immediately brought up the footage from the fight, using Metropolis's cameras and his own to piece together everything the best he could, which considering him, was pretty damn good. The world's greatest detective fast forwarded everything until it came to the moments when Captain Marvel engaged Black Adam in a headlock, turning up the volume as much as he could to understand their faint voices that he couldn't hear earlier. 

_"You're the closest thing I have to a family, Adam, did I ever tell you_ that?" Marvel was saying, sounding almost vulnerable. It made Batman do a double take, totally confused, something that very,  _very_ rarely ever happened to the world's greatest detective. It just  _didn't,_ and yet, never in his life did he ever consider  _Captain Marvel_ and  _Black Adam_ to be  _family._

_What the **hell?**_

_"I know you tried to kill me a lot at first and you hurt a lot of people, but it's still true,"_ the hero continued, furthering Batman's fascination when the villain actually  _stopped_ struggling at the Captain's words.  _"Believe it or not, you showed me more kindness than any adult ever has, even though you know my true being. You don't treat me like I'm just some kid who's way in over their head, don't treat me like I'm less than worthless. Trust me when I say that always hurts more than anything."_

Batman didn't move a muscle, still unsure of what he should think.

_"I know we haven't see each other in a while, and that's my fault. We should meet up again sometime, just you and me. Remember that ice cream shop in Fawcett you liked so much? The one with the hundred flavors of ice cream? We could go there, after all, you need to get caught up on all the modern culture and stuff. I'm probably not the best person to do that, but hey, I can do my best."_

Adam's eyes became much clearer as Marvel talked, his dark eyes blinking rapidly as he listened to the words.  _"Billy?"_ Adam asked with a gentleness that the Dark Knight never knew he was capable of.

But, as shown here, Batman never knew a lot of things. 

He watched emotionless as the scene finished out; Captain Marvel passing out and Black Adam teleporting them both into an unknown fate. His questions about the magical hero have only grown, but now, he truly needs to decide: was Marvel friend or foe? With his apparent friendship with Black Adam, it was hard to tell either way...

At least, now he had a name to work with.

With slow movements, Batman brought up Captain Marvel's files, adding two new additions.

Black Adam was added to his family. 

Billy was added as his civilian name. 

 

 

It wasn't the first time Billy's woken up in the Rock of Eternity, but it still surprised him nonetheless, especially when he saw that he was no longer in the godly form of Captain Marvel. He had no recollection of ever saying the Wizard's name to turn him back, but hey, currently he didn't remember a lot of things. Mainly: _how_ he got to the Rock of Eternity,  _why_ he's in the Rock of Eternity, and how  _long_ has he been in the Rock of Eternity?

The boy groaned as he attempted to sit up, his a sharp ache pounding against the side of his skull. He couldn't recall a time in his life when he's ever felt this  _drained,_ like someone had put his living soul in a thousand year old corpse to see what would happen. It was a very unpleasant thought.

"Ah, I see you are finally awake," said a familiarly accented voice. Billy slowly opened his eyes, finding the natural light of the Rock had been dimmed enough so that it didn't hurt to look at. Not that the magical plain was usually filled with too bright light, but he had the feeling that if the lighting was normal that his head would be a lot worse right now.

Directly in front of him, sitting cross legged with two bowls in hand, was Black Adam. It was clear that he was no longer controlled by Mister Mind, the warm smile on Adam's face a nice contrast from the stone cold blankness that had been there earlier. Billy couldn't help but smile back at the demigod, feeling mildly excited to see Adam after months of not interacting with one another. The truce the Justice League had made with Adam prevented him from leaving Khandaq without explicit permission or reason, making it hard for him to come visit Billy in Fawcett City, and since Billy couldn't exactly enter Khandaq without a passport or being heavily question by the League, they just couldn't see each other like they used to. 

The boy mirrored Adam's sitting position, feeling the pain in his head gradually fade away. He supposed that was the magic of the Rock doing its job, his strength coming back with each moment he soaked in its healing force. He thought the Rock could only heal the Champion, but apparently he was wrong about that.

"What happened?" Billy managed to choke out as Adam handed him one of the bowls, which he accepted. He found that it was filled with ice cream, more specifically, his favorite flavour of ice cream, vanilla with pecan nuts. The boy's smile grew at that, his heart warming at the thought that Adam remembered his favorite flavor even after all this time.

"You passed out, most of your magic drained from fighting... well, fighting me," Adam replied matter of factly in his usual blunt manor. Billy rolled his eyes at this, picking up the spoon in the ice cream and taking a heavenly bite. 

"Yeah, I got that part. I mean with the whole mind control thing. I'm guessing Mister Mind had something to do with it?"

Adam chuckled at that, taking a bite of his own ice cream, something with chocolate chips from the looks of it. It reminded Billy of the conversation they had years ago, when they first went to the Fawcett City ice cream parlor. The demigod had been absolutely fascinated by the sheer amount of ice cream flavors there were to choose from (though he would deny it to his grave). It had taken Adam nearly ten minutes to choose a flavor, and honestly, it was one of the best days in Billy's life. He still looked back on it fondly, and he hoped Adam did as well. 

"You would be correct in saying that worm had something to do with me attacking Metropolis. How and when he did that is beyond me, but I do know that he's no longer attempting to take control now that you helped me break it," Adam tilted his head to the side. "I do believe I should thank you for that, Billy. Tell me: was what you said true? Do you really see me as family?"

The boy flushed slightly at the question, shoving another spoonful of ice cream in his mouth so that he wouldn't have to answer right away. It wasn't that he was embarrassed to call Adam his family, but it was rare that Billy would say something as personal as that, especially if he's around other people. Speaking of which-

Huh. Now he was wondering what the Justice League was thinking about all of this, if they were even searching for him and Adam. They had no reason to believe they were on friendly terms after all these years, and Billy would have a hard time explaining where he disappeared to and why he disappeared at all once he went back. Just another thing to add to the, 'Reasons not to Trust Captain Marvel,' list. The boy sighed to himself, already dreading the conversations that would inevitably come from his fellow League members, some that would probably put into question his reliability as a hero. After all, it wasn't like Batman was befriending the Joker or Superman was getting chummy with Lex Luthor or anything; none of the heroes would ever expect him to be on good terms with Black Adam, a villain that's tried to kill him over a dozen times at this point. 

Billy shyly looked up at Adam, seeing a patient expression on his face. "Well, I, of course I meant it. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't." He looked away from Adam's eyes, suddenly feeling way too exposed for his liking.

"Not that I'm complaining, but I would have thought you see your fellow heroes as more of a family than me," the demigod stated, taking another bite of his icy treat. "After all, as you know I'm not exactly the best role model you could have. Plus, I barely know my way around modern culture these days." There was a note of humor in Adam's otherwise serious tone that Billy was able to pick out, the unasked question making a sliver of nervousness run down his spine.

"What was that lightning you used that drained me so much?" Billy asked instead, avoiding Adam's earlier statement. He really didn't want to talk about his relationship with his fellow League members, not right now at least. Maybe not ever. Despite how calm he normally acted, Billy wasn't all that good with emotions or how to handle them. Sure, Captain Marvel might have a better grasp on that, but Billy Batson was wasn't Captain Marvel. Captain Marvel had the wisdom of Solomon along with experience that no one on Earth could replicate (except maybe Adam). Billy Batson was a street kid who didn't have a family he could actually remember; no one exactly cared about him or his well being except for a few select people he allowed to get close. And even then, they still didn't know much about him.

The was a small huff from Adam, more than likely from the avoided statement, but he still replied with, "it's an ancient magic that I assumed no one knew about, though I guess that worm could have found out when he took control of my mind. It was specially designed to take down those with god like power like you and I, which is why it took you down so easily. The only way to heal you without any lasting effects on both your mortal body and godly one was to bring you to the Rock of Eternity." Adam gestured to the Rock around them. "So, here we are."

"So here we are," Billy repeated quietly, mixing around his ice cream. It wasn't melting he noticed, at least, not in the way normal ice cream melted. He wondered if it was because of how the Rock was separated from the rest of the universe in its own little pocket, making time move freely without any way to measure it properly. 

The demigod cleared his throat, making the boy's eyes meet Adam's darker ones. "So, how has everything been in that city of yours?" he questioned, admittedly, sounding a bit on the awkward side. Adam wasn't very good at small talk, but he tried, even if it did sometimes lead to odd silences or confusion. Khandaq, while a very much advancing and thriving country, wasn't exactly up to date with the rest of the world when it came to some things. Or maybe that was just Adam, seeing as he was absent from the world for a few thousand years.

Billy shrugged. "Normal, really. Some new bad guy comes into town, wrecks some things, Captain Marvel comes in and stops them, repeat. Nothing much has changed in the past few years."

"Still haven't found a home?"

Billy bristled, suddenly finding his ice cream  _very_ interesting. "I have a home."

"You know what I mean, William."

Adam must be serious about this then, if he was calling the boy William. He hasn't done that since before they started this weird relationship of theirs. 

Billy shifted uncomfortably, not entirely sure how to respond. "No then, I don't have a home. Happy?"

The demigod sighed, though there was that edge of fondness that always seemed to appear whenever Adam talked to the boy. "What about school? Have you managed to keep up with your studies?" 

The boy didn't reply with anything for many moment, nervously pushing back a strand of his dark hair. He enjoyed talking with Adam, he really did, but then he would go in full parental mode and Billy just didn't know how to respond. He wasn't used to adults caring about his well being so much, especially with things as mundane and normal as  _school._

"I keep finding books and stuff to read... and I found a dictionary, so that's cool I guess."

"But you're not in school."

It wasn't a question. It was a statement. "No, it's kinda hard to be in school when you're required to put your address and who your guardians are, and as you know I don't have a home and I don't have a family," the boy said bitterly. "It's also kinda hard to be in school when you haven't even been  _it_ a school for nearly five years. So yeah, I'm not in school."

Adam was silent after Billy's mini rant, his face drawn together in a way that suggested he was thinking deeply about something. Billy always hated it when he did that, mainly because when the demigod did it all of the emotion on his left simply vanished, leaving the boy to wonder if he was mad, indifferent, anything at all. It made him tense, unsure how he himself should react incase things start to shift away from his favor. Yes, he  _should_ know that Adam would never hurt him, but hey, old habits die hard, especially when you're a street kid who's recently been stalked by one of your supposed teammates.

"Is there a reason you can't ask one of the heroes to act as your guardian?" Adam asked, once again not so subtly trying to asking Billy something else. 

"'Cause they're not my family," the boy said quickly, taking another bite of his ice cream to muffle part of his words. It was a childish and ridiculous thing to do, but he did it anyway. Is this how it felt to be a normal kid with normal parents; them asking awkward questions while you either dodge it or awkwardly answer back? It sounded  _exhausting._ "Plus, it's not like they would keep me on the League if they knew, so what's the point?"

Adam raised an eyebrow, placing his ice cream on the ground. "Is that so?" he mumbled, making Billy break their eye contact once again. 

"Yeah," the boy croaked, shrugging like it didn't matter. "The majority of them don't trust me with taking out the trash, and if they found out they originally let a 10 year old on the Justice League? Well, that's just an invitation to either kick me out or baby me even though I could literally snap all of them in half without blinking an eye. Hell, there are days where I think I should just  _quit_ all together so I don't have to deal with it all. It's not fun constantly being surrounded by people who don't trust you and regularly try to get you to talk about your civilian life even though you've told them many of times you don't want to. It's even  _less_ fun to be freaking  _stalked_ by them in attempts to figure out your identity-"

"What?!" Adam suddenly interrupted, looking livid. "Who is doing this?"

Billy shrunk back slightly, feeling the intensity of the demigod's barely controlled anger. "Uh, well Batman was in Fawcett the other day and um, he knew who I was. Well, he knew who  _Billy Batson_ was and he was trying to get me to say something about my dad. Something about how I- Captain Marvel- looked a lot like him or something along those lines. I... I don't know..." he trailed off. 

Adam sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose with an annoyed air to him, all traces of previous anger gone. "Of course he would eventually figure out, the bastard. Nothing to do about that." Billy could feel the tingling of his skin that told him Adam was giving him a pointed look, one that wasn't  _necessarily_ disappointment, but something similar that he didn't know how to describe. "Is there a reason you continue to stay with the League, even if you so strongly think you shouldn't? I know you Billy; you wouldn't stay in a situation like that unless you believed the pros outweigh the cons." 

The boy put down his ice cream, his hands growing too cold to carry it much longer. "I guess... I guess it's because with the League, I know I'm doing something good for the whole world. They might not see me as an equal, but they're not the ones who need help, it's everyone else. If I can bring some hope to the world... then I can say I'm a hero like I hope to be."

"Do good and good will follow. That's what your parents told you, right?" 

Billy nodded, but didn't say anything in reply. Adam was one of, if not the only person he's ever told that to. The demigod knows just how much that saying means to the boy, how it's the only true memory of his parents that he's still able to hold onto. 

"Billy, look at me." 

The boy complied, feeling more exposed than he's ever been in his life. Yet, unlike so many others he could think of, the demigod didn't exploit it or try to manipulate it. 

"You  _are_ a hero," Adam said seriously. "I don't care what anyone else says, you hear me? You don't need their labels in order to do good for the world, you're just as heroic without them. If you don't want to be apart of the Justice League anymore, then don't be."

Billy considered this for a moment, twining his fingers together as he thought. "I... I see what you're saying, but I'm not sure if I should. Yeah I can do it on my own, but I can reach more people  _with_ them. I don't know."

The demigod shrugged, picking his ice cream back up. "Well, it is still your decision in the end. That's the beauty of time you see; it always leaves room for decisions, especially when you're in the Rock of Eternity."

The boy gave a small smile, picking up his own ice cream. "You know, I think I could use some time to think." And the silence that followed afterwards was all he needed. 


	9. Thousand Thoughts of a Picture

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there will probably be only one or two chapters after this.

One week after the sudden attack from Black Adam, the vast majority of the League who went into battle with him were recovered. Sure, some were still limping slightly or had an entire arm covered by magic bandages (courtesy of Zatanna, of course) but all and all, everyone was doing a okay. Well, at least physically.

The knowledge that Captain Marvel had disappeared with Black Adam after somehow subduing the villain weight on everyone's mind, though admittedly, some more than others. It was still rather disturbing to wonder just what had happened to the red clad hero, after all, it's been a week and there's still been no contact with Marvel whatsoever. Not even a magic sticky note or anything. It was like the magical hero didn't even exist; there were no reports in Fawcett City, no magical movements that anyone could detect (because seriously, that dude simply  _being there_ often created magical echoes), not even a particularly strong lightning storm that could be caused by him. It didn't help that many were starting questions Marvel's loyalties, rumors beginning to fly if he and Adam were somehow allies this entire time without anyone knowing. But  _someone_ had to know, right?

_Batman_ must have known, right?

No one could find out of the caped crusader knew anything about Captain Marvel's disappearance, mainly because he stayed locked up in his office the majority of the week, put in part because whenever someone tried to ask, he completely ignored the question. The only person he's talked to about it as far as anyone knows was Black Canary, and with her he admitted he had no idea where either of the demigod were, or why Adam took the red clad hero in the first place. That was all anyone had to go on, so the rumor mill kicked up, heroes throwing up any theory they could think of to explain what was going on. 

Green Lantern was for the idea that Captain Marvel had been in contact with Black Adam for the entire time he was supposed to be in Khandaq, meaning the hero either gotBut  in without any of the League noticing or Adam went out without anyone figuring it out. He never said whether or not that meant Marvel was working with the villain, but from him, it all grew a little crazy. 

For example, Flash thought well, if they saw each other so regularly, what it they were family or something? That would explain why they have such similar powers, and why Adam seemed to know much more about Marvel than anyone else. Sure, Adam tried to kill the red clad hero like a dozen times, but family could be weird and awkward and maybe somehow they settled their differences and became close. Wouldn't be the first time.

But that wasn't enough for some. The next thing anyone knew, the idea that the two were lovers came up, and while many people dismissed it, others genuinely gave it consideration, as weird as it sounded. There were plenty of examples of heroes falling in love with their supposed villain, like Catwoman and Batman having that odd fling of theirs or Ra's al Ghul taking a creepy interest in Red Robin. Anything was possible.

Surely there was more to them than meets the eye, right? What if Captain Marvel's been aligned for Black Adam all these years and managed to fool everyone? What if they planned every attack Adam made, making it so that Marvel came out looking like the hero? What if Marvel was using his status as a League member to gather secrets and relay them back to the other demigod? There were so many questions that no one knew where to start. 

Not even Batman was able to tackle those questions without adding even  _more_ questions. He spent hours looking over footage of Captain Marvel from over the years, trying to find  _something_ that would show his true intentions, anything that would point him in a movable direction. That proved to be as useful as it had been the first half dozen times Batman tried it, as in, he found nothing he didn't know before. Which was nothing.

The Dark Knight slammed his fist on his desk, frustration aching through his every pore. He was supposed to be the  _world's greatest detective god dammit_ so why was this so fucking  _difficult?_ This entire thing was making him sloppy, more prone letting his emotion peak through when he was supposed to be the Bat. It made him feel a lot more like  _Bruce Wayne_ than anything else.

Bruce- no-  _Batman_ stared at the file he just recently updated for Captain Marvel, studying the new named he added. Billy. It was bothering him for some reason, that name, though it really shouldn't. Billy was a common enough name, so he wouldn't be able to conduct any sort of search based on it alone, and it wasn't like he personally _knew_ anyone named Billy. And yet, looking at it printed on his computer screen gave him the weirdest feeling of deja vu, like he  _knows_ who this is supposed to be.

The Dark Knight didn't move for many minutes as he looked at the name, silently looking through everything else on Marvel's file. Location: Fawcett City. First appearance: December about two and a half years ago. Powers: Claims to be given the powers of multiple gods, including Zeus, Mercury, Solomon, Achilles, Atlas, and Hercules. No way of telling whether or not this is true. Weaknesses: Unsure. Civilian alias: Billy. Notable family members: Black Adam.

That was it. Everyone else in the Justice League had a file five times as knowledgeable and long, filed with so many notes that most of them were written in a secret code that few could understand. 

There was a knocked on the vigilante's door, but he ignored it, just like every other time that week. He hadn't even let in Clark or Diana, which was rare of him, or interacted with may of the other heroes in general. He would come in through the Zeta tube, go straight to his office, lock himself in, do whatever needed to be done, pack up, and leave without a word. He could tell that while the League heroes were used to his broody and dark nature, they weren't used to him being so quiet and alone. 

Batman sighed, resisting the urge to push down his cowl and push a gloved hand through his slick hair. Maybe it would help relieve the tension that hasn't gone away in the past week, maybe it would help him clear his head. Alfred would sure like that, if the butler's silent look of worry was anything to go by. Even his children were noticing his odd behavior, and while they knew about the fight with Black Adam, they didn't know the whole story. Tim, of course, hacked his way into the information he  _didn't_ know and confronted him about about it, but when he refused to answer Dick and Damian came for him. Tag teamed by his family. Who'd a thought?

(Alfred, definitely).

The Dark Knight needed to make a decision, but at the same time, he needed the thoughts of the entire League. Sure, they're all chaotic on good days and down right childish on bad, but they were still important, and they deserved to know what was going on with Captain Marvel. He's heard all he ridiculous rumors thrown around, but he really couldn't call them ridiculous if he didn't know anything himself. 

With a sigh, Batman pushed back his chair, and pushed the red button that would send a message to every Justice League member, informing them that there was a mandatory meeting scheduled tomorrow. 

 

 

The meeting room was surprisingly docile compared to how it usually was; heroes grouped together in smaller pods, most whispering to one another or looking around nervously. For once, everyone seemed serious and contemplative about what was going on, as if the Captain Marvel mystery really turned the gears in their mind. Batman honestly couldn't say he minded, after all, he's been trying to get something similar out of them for years, but he also couldn't say he liked the circumstances that came with it. This wasn't just about Captain Marvel and whether or not he was trustworthy, it was about if the Justice League had been so expertly fooled into trusting a villain the entire time. 

The Dark Knight looked up from his seat at the head of the large, round table, his gaze meeting Superman's. The Kryptonian was already sitting in his seat, hands twined together and looking like he was thinking intensely about something. His blue eyes were nearly blank with thought, but the moment he realized Batman was watching they became their usual bright color. The two heroes didn't say anything, but they got the feeling they were thinking the same thing: wondering if they had somehow messed up. That somehow, they had let someone dangerous interact with the League. There was no way to confirm it, but that's what they kept thinking. And it would have been all their fault for not catching it.

For the longest time, Superman thought that Captain Marvel was from Krypton, like he was. They just seemed way too similar for there  _not_ to be a connection somehow, so he did his best to poke and prod at Marvel, trying to get something out of him. The Captain was always so  _shy_ when it came to saying things about himself, and maybe Superman just assumed it was in his nature, that eventually he could break the code and get the red clad hero to admit something. But if anything if pushed Marvel away even more, growing nervous around the Kryptonian until for a while, he avoided Superman all together. It was unsettling to say the least, but he got the message: don't ask about Marvel's past.

At the time, it felt reasonable; after all, no one was forced to tell anyone on the League their identity unless they wanted to. Yet,  _everyone_ on the League had told  _someone_ who they were, that is, everyone except Marvel himself. And then he found out that Batman, the world's greatest detective and most paranoid being to ever exist didn't even know who Captain Marvel truly was. 

Then he found out that the same detective was wondering if Marvel was impersonating a dead man.

Then this whole thing was Black Adam happened, causing the magical hero to just vanish without a single trace.

Then Superman began to wonder if his desire to know if another one of his kind survived blinded him from the signs that could have been there all along. 

He didn't know. Neither Batman  _or_ Superman knew, and all they could do was wait for anything to point them in some sort of direction. The League could sense how closed off they've been the past few days, and they too wondered if they were all fooled by Captain Marvel. He seemed so  _open_ and  _friendly,_ even if he was closed off and didn't say anything about himself. Never once did he seem put off by the heroes weary untrust, or even act like he knew it was there at all.

WIth an internal sigh, the Dark Knight called the meeting to order, the heroes almost silently going to their seat and waiting for whatever their leader had to say. With another look at Superman, Batman started, his tone as emotionless as ever.

"I assume you all know why we're here today," the vigilante said, using the controls in front of him to bring up a picture of Captain Marvel on the giant screen behind him. "Eight days ago, the Justice League battled Black Adam who was attacking Metropolis. Captain Marvel somehow found a way to subdue Adam, and right before he did so he said that Adam was under the control of an unknown, outside force. After Marvel did this, he and Adam disappeared, which is what we are here to discuss." Batman fought the urge to shift under all of the gazes that came from his fellow heroes, but his self control was as always, perfect. 

_(Not when it comes to orphans who need a home, Master Bruce)._

"I have heard some of rumors going around about the possible reasons Black Adam could've taken Marvel, and why Marvel was able to subdue Adam in the first place," he trailed of slightly before continuing. "I have to admit this: I have no idea if any of them are true. I... I know next to nothing about Captain Marvel, his origins, where he came from, or if he's even really a hero and not a double agent working with Black Adam. All I have are theories, and most of them have lead me to dead ends."

The room was silent for a few moments before Flash spoke up. "But you know...  _who_ he is, right? Like a name of something?"

The Dark Knight really  _did_ shift at that, thought it was a very small movement that he knew only Superman could catch. "The only name I've been able to confirm was from Black Adam after reviewing the footage from the battle with him," Batman admitted, making sure his voice didn't waver. There was a confused looked that spread throughout the entire League at that, all of them so  _sure_ that the world's greatest detective just  _knew_ who Captain Marvel was. Hearing otherwise... it just didn't  _sound_ right, like Flash saying that he didn't like to eat or Wonder Woman not greeting everyone with a smile. It just didn't seem possible.

Without another word, Batman brought up a video that many recognized as Metropolis when they fought Black Adam. It played before them, and the heroes saw as Captain Marvel tried to reason with Adam as the villain simply tossed him aside like he was paper mache. Then later when Marvel was at Adam again, yelling, "Adam! It's me- Billy! You-you have to  _stop-"_   and the flicker of recognition in the other demigod's eyes. How the red clad hero called his greatest villain  _family,_ his  _only true_ family, like he had no one else to turn to. The way Adam somehow managed to shake off whatever was controlling him just from Marvel's words, the way he said his name so  _fondly,_ and how he caught Marvel before they both vanished. 

It was a lot to take in. Some of the heroes were already reevaluating the theories they had, others not sure what to think. There were still those who thought they were missing a crucial piece of this messed up puzzle, refusing to make a judgement until they had it.

"One of the most powerful beings in the universe it named  _Billy?_ Kind of a disappointment, not gonna like," Green Arrow jokes, trying to make the tense air lighter. But it was like no one heard him, and not a single chuckle resulted from it.

Batman took a moment to collect his thoughts, aware that every League member in the room was not so patiently waiting for what he had to say about all this. "Now, I know this has lead to the questions everyone keeps asking: where are Marvel and Adam? Why did Adam bring Marvel with him? What did Marvel mean by calling Adam family? Does this mean they've been working together and that... perhaps, the Captain has really been working with his villain all along? I don't know."

The Dark Knight paused. "And I don't think we  _will_ know until Captain Marvel appears again. But until then... we have to take precautions." He brought up the picture of C.C Batson and his family, along with the same picture of the magical hero from earlier. There was a collective gasp from many of the League members from around the room, most instantly seeing the resemblance between the man and demigod. 

"Is that..." Wonder Woman tried, unable to finish her thought due to shock. Never once had she imagined Marvel having a family, but something told her this wasn't what Batman was getting at. That there was more.

"This is C.C Batson, an accomplished archeologist from Fawcett City, along with his entire family," the vigilante explained. Somehow, now that he was finally showing the entire League his findings, they felt more... empty, like there was no merit to them.  _He_ knew there was, but a part of his brain was nagging that there wasn't at the same time. "Batson died more than seven years ago in a plane crash, and as you all can see, Captain Marvel seems to possess his exact same features. This can mean many things, mainly either that Batson has somehow come back from the dead, or for whatever reason, Marvel is using Batson's face."

"What about the son?" Black Canary asked, gesturing to the boy in the picture. "Is is possible that he has something to do with it? They do look a lot alike."

"William Batson is only 12 years old," the Dark Knight explained, nerves suddenly tingling the back of his neck. William... why does the sound of the boy's name make him feel like he's forgetting something-?

"So there's no way that William could be Captain Marvel," Green Lantern finished, twisting the ring on his finger thoughtfully. Batman nodded, trying to ignore the feeling that kept going down his spine. It refused to go away, but he couldn't focus on it, not now when he still had more to say.

There was a few more beats of silence in the room, every hero taking in the information as much as they could. It wasn't like it was the first time they've had villains impersonate those who were supposed to be dead, but it was the first time a supposed fellow hero was. How on earth were you supposed to justify  _that?_ Marvel not only looked  _somewhat_ like C.C Batson, but a  _carbon_ _copy._ If you placed the two right next to one another there would be no difference, which brought up yet  _another_ question for them all to consider: why  _did_ Captain Marvel look so much like a dead man from Fawcett City?

That was the exact question Batman wanted to discuss, but he was never given the chance. Because at that very moment, Captain Marvel himself walked through the entrance of the meeting room.

 

 

Billy had no idea how long he stayed in the Rock of Eternity with Adam, but at one point he did realize that he wasn't recovering anymore. Whatever the effects of that ancient magic had been, they were now long gone, and he knew that. But the boy didn't want to leave, not just yet. He told himself that it was because he wanted to catched up with Adam, but the more he was honest with himself, the more he found that he just... didn't want to face the Justice League. Then he finally admitted to himself that the longer he stayed away, the more suspicious it would seem, and the worse the outcome would be.

So, with a heartfelt farewell to the demigod (promising to visit each other more often) Billy called the Wizard's name, turning him into Earth's Mightiest Mortal. The transformation brought him back to Earth, right above the awakening Fawcett City as the sun gradually made its way over the horizon. It was Billy's favorite time of day, though he rarely every saw it even if he woke up early. It was just hard to see the sun in a place where all the building's effectively block the sky, leaving only the skyscrapers with the beautiful view.

Billy took the moment to appreciate the sun's warmth, the chirping of birds in the distance as well as the few citizens that were already awake. It was so calm, the serenity seeping into his bones. It almost made him forget what he had to do.

With a sigh, he flew down to the ground, right beside the telephone booth that doubled as a Zeta tube to the Watchtower. Stepping inside, Billy listened to the robotic voice echo his name and number, instantly beaming him to the Tower. When he walked out, he found that it was oddly quiet, so much unlike how the Watchtower was usually thrumming with the energy of the dozens of heroes that were constantly there. Billy hesitantly walked around for a little bit, quickly finding... nobody. It was almost like a ghost town, only that there was nothing broken down and people were just... gone.

That was, until he came to the meeting room.

When he got outside of the giant meeting room, the demigod could hear the soft mumblings of people talking. Which meant... they were having a meeting.

Billy had no trouble figuring out what it was about. He wouldn't even need the wisdom of Solomon for that.

The hero took a deep breath, remembering what Adam told him about how he could leave the Justice League and still be a hero in his own way. He could... but at the same time, it didn't feel right doing that. So he would just have to suck it up and deal with the consequences, somehow answer there undoubtedly dozens of questions that he wasn't sure how to answer. Does he tell the truth? Does he lie? Does he do a little bit of both?

Without letting himself think about it for another moment, Billy pushed open the door and stepped inside- only immediately to freeze.

Because on the large screen behind Batman was a picture of his family, a picture he thought was lost years ago. A picture that was was so important to him that he ingrained every detail into his memory. 

A picture that he very clearly remembered turning to ash in a fire.        


	10. Burning of the Ashes

_Billy remembers with perfect clarity the little time he spent with Uncle Ebenezer. He remembers being practically thrown into his uncle's house by the social worker, the woman leaving without even checking if his new guardian was even there. It wouldn't be until much later that the boy understood why she did this, but now he knows the social worker was just trying to get him off her hands as soon as possible. Now, he isn't sure how he feels about that moment, but he did know at the time if left him terrified. They had just taken him away from Mary, his only other family, and now he was dropped off in basically a strangers house._

_The boy was there for over an hour before Ebenezer showed up, mostly drunk with the strong smell of alcohol oozing from his mouth. Billy remembers how **mad** he was, how he ranted and ranted about not wanted to take care of his stupid sister's kid because he had more important things to do. Important things like drinking and gambling, or something like that. The finer details were lost on Billy at the time, having no understanding about what any of these things were. His parents never drank, at least, not like this._

_Life at Uncle Ebenezer's house had been a harsh and brutal one, the boy never sure when he could safely exit his room without his uncle coming to beat him or tell him just what a failure he thought his dead sister and her son were. It all hurt the small boy so **much,** no matter if it was physical or not. He became so scared to leave his room that sometimes he would stay in it for days without ever getting something to eat, gladly choosing to starve himself than to face his horrible uncle. _

_Billy's only salvation in this nightmare of a life was the one picture he managed to grab from his house before the social worker took him away. It was a picture of all his family together and happy, all of them smiling widely and looking like they enjoyed the life they lead. The boy remembers the day the picture was taken; the local zoo had just announced their new addition of tigers to the zoo, and since it had been his and Mary's birthday, the decided they wanted to go visit the tigers. It had been a wonderful day, a memory Billy tried to hold onto with all his life, just like with the picture. It was crinkled on the edges from where he held it so much, but he didn't care. He promised to etch every detail into his brain until he could never forget this picture, and that he did. He would remember it long after it was gone._

_One of these days, when Billy was as happy as he could be in the one safe haven he had, Uncle Ebenezer abruptly stormed into his room, a bottle of clear liquid in hand and a stumble in his step. The boy instantly knew he was drunk, a state that rarely seemed to leave him uncle. Despite how sloppy Ebenezer's movements were, he immediately zeroed in on the picture in Billy's hands like it was a cockroach on the wall. The boy tensed at the harsh stare, his grip on the picture tightening._

_"Whas that?" Ebenezer slurred, stumbling closer to Billy._

_Billy curled himself into a small ball, hoping to hide his treasured memory. "I-it's nothing. Only a picture."_

_His uncle snorted like it was the funniest thing he's heard all day, easily ripping the boy's arms away from his body and snatching the picture. Billy cried in protest, but it was like Ebenezer didn't even hear him, only mumbling to himself, "whas a brat like **you** gotta picture..." before trailing off, a blank look on his face. Billy held his breath, hoping beyond hope this his uncle would simply drop the precious picture and leave him alone, but he knew deep down that that was asking for too much._

_Without any warning, the man stumbled out of the room, taking the picture with him. The boy followed without even thinking, trying to convince his uncle to drop the picture in any way he could. But Ebenezer refused to listen, almost acting like Billy wasn't even there in the first place. Billy **begged** and  **begged,** but once again, nothing changed in Ebenezer's stance. "Stupid... sister... stupid plane... stupid son!" was all the man would say, smacking the boy to the side. Billy hit the wall sharply, but he didn't stay down due to the pain for long._

_Not when he realized Uncle Ebenezer was heading straight for the fireplace._

_But Billy realized this too late, and as he ran as fast as he could to the man, tears streaming down his face in a pleading of **please don't, no no no no-**_

_Just as the boy reached his uncle, the picture was thrown directly onto the fire. Billy watched with wide eyes as the warm, flickering flames consumed the entire memory in moments, the edges tumbling to black ash until there was nothing left. The boy stayed there long after Ebenezer had already left, staring at the flames that had taken away the only thing tying him to his family and their memory, a memory he found, that was quickly fading. Even now he barely remembered the meaning behind the picture, could only replay the moment over and over again in his head._

_The ashes glowed with embers, as if mocking him._

_That night, Billy Batson ran away from the home of Ebenezer Herks, and never went back. The memory of the burning picture became the most prominent thing he remembered about his family, and the ashes they turned into, that and the saying his parents would always say to him: do good, and good with follow._

_After that, there was nothing._

 

 

"-aptain Marvel? Are you alright?" asked voice, a note of concern in their tone, even if it was still firm. It was very familiar, but faint and fuzzy, like Billy was listening to everything through a thin sheet of water.

Billy blinked rapidly, the after images of the memory he was so deeply immersed in fading away to reveal the meeting room in the Watchtower. All the heroes were there, many of them standing up, all of them watching him with an intense look that he didn't know how to interpret. On one hand, many of the eyes he saw were filled with distrust and caution, while others had hints of anxiousness and relief. He's never gotten so many mixed signals in his life, but that doubled when the demigods eyes landed on Batman, who still had the picture of him family behind him. It was then the red clad hero realized he was trembling from head to toe, unable to stop the tremors that continuously shot down his spine.

That day... Billy hasn't thought about Ebenezer and what he did with that picture in  _years._ He blocked it from his memory, too traumatizing to keep remembering over and over again. He never forgot the picture, but he did forget why it was taken, but now he knew. He knew that it was his and Mary's seventh birthday, and that they went to the zoo. The information should have thrilled him, but it only left a rock in his stomach, squeezing his insides uncomfortably. 

Slowly, Billy looked over to the one who had spoken to him, seeing Superman on the other side. The Kryptonians features were calm and neutral, but hie bright eyes showed the emotion he was truly feeling, all the conflict and questions he was begging to ask.

The hero couldn't answer them, not now, not like this. He thought he was ready to face them, but seeing that picture... all of his emotional energy was being drained from him swiftly, even more quickly than when Adam attacked him with that ancient magic, meant to harm godly beings. But this wasn't harming Captain Marvel. It was harming Billy Batson, and that's what made it even more dangerous. He wasn't even sure if he'd be able to say  _anything,_ his tongue feeling like cotton in his mouth, his vocal cords somehow feeling sore without them ever being used in any way that would harm them.

He looked back to the picture, longing and nostalgia welling up his his chest. His dad smiling, his mother and sister laughing, him hugging his dad like nothing else mattered. It looked like a window to a simpler time, a time when his parents were still alive, Mary was still his sister, when he went to school and didn't live on the streets, when things made sense and time didn't feel like it was slipping in between his fingertips, losing memories and so much of who he was.

Superman was in front of him now, nearly blocking away the rest of the room. He seemed to notice how shaken the red clad hero was, how he instantly looked away from the Man of Steels eyes to focus on the ground below him. The Kryptonian put a steady hand on Billy's shoulder, squeezing ever so gently as if to ground him. 

"Are you alright?" Superman repeated softly, quiet enough that only they could hear it. The magic hero opened his mouth, as if to speak, but nothing came out. He snapped his jaw shut, eyes darting to the one part of the picture that he could still barely see. It was his dad, round glasses perched on his nose, eyes filled with untold wisdom and creativity. Billy... really  _did_ look a lot like his dad, and now that he saw it so clearly, it was hard to believe he never saw it before.

"I have to go," the red clad hero managed to say quietly, breaking away from Superman's grip easily before using his super speed to zip out of the room and towards the Zeta tubes. Still at super speed he punched in his destination, the system able to keep up with and even go faster than he was going, making the time it took for him to get to the Watchtower to Fawcett City less than five seconds. 

The sun was mostly up now, bathing the entirety of the city in a beautiful golden light. More people were wandering about; the paperboy, the lone mailwoman, a few businesses that opened at such a time. All the sounds and looks that Billy was so familiar with, the ones he knew by heart and could navigate without any problem whatsoever, the city where he's lived all his life.

He knew the place he lived better than his own family.

That thought suddenly made the hero feel nauseous, so he flew on top of one of the many tall building to try and orient himself, taking deep breaths and closing his eyes to block out anything extra he didn't need. The feeling faded, but never really went  _away,_ pestering him with bad thoughts and feelings. Billy sighed, opening his bright blue eyes to the world around him.

He already knew about the Dark Knight of Gotham standing right behind him.

 

 

When Captain Marvel first entered the room, no one moved a muscle, and oddly enough, neither did the red clad hero. No, he took one glance at the picture on the screen and completely stopped all movement, his body becoming like the ancient statues from Greece and the days of the Roman Empire. His bright eyes went distant, face entirely blank with something no one could quite place. 

Nobody knew how long they all stood there, waiting for something to happen when something finally did. That something came in the form of Superman, who silently got closer to Captain Marvel as if he was approaching a wounded animal. He called the magical hero's name in a small voice, trying to catch the Captain's attention. Marvel seemed not to heard him, however, like everything in that room didn't exist. He was still staring at the picture, and as time went on, it was almost like a look of...  _horror?_ Like he couldn't believe he was seeing what he was seeing.

It took a few more tries, but Marvel eventually responded to the Man of Steels gentle words, blue eyes darting from person to person rapidly before looking at the one calling his name. But not matter what he did, he still went back to the picture, like he was trying to convince himself it was real. Marvel shied away from Superman's gaze and touch, saying something that no one besides the Kryptonian would be able to hear. He then just disappeared as quickly as he had appeared, leaving the meeting room in slightly stunned... something. No one could place the feeling that was radiating off of Captain Marvel in waves, something familiar but... not at the same time.

Wonder Woman instantly knew what the feeling that the young hero was emitting. It was a feeling she knew well and had felt many times over the years, the feeling of wanting something, or some _one_ that you can't have.

Longing.

The Captain  _longed_ for something, something to do with that picture with the family, the picture that had the man that looked so much like him. There must be a connection there, something that they've all over looked. The Amazon looked over to Batman, whose expression had not once changed throughout the entire exchange, the shadows around him becoming more prominent than before.

Wonder Woman's known Batman long enough to know when he's trying to hide something, and now the Dark Knight was trying to hide  _Bruce Wayne._ Something about Captain Marvel brought out the humanity in Bruce that he couldn't tuck away like he normally could. She could see it in his tense shoulders and clenched jaw, and way his fingers struggled to twitch. They were the same things Bruce would do whenever one of his many children got hurt or said a particularly stupid joke, the want to be a father while being trapped inside the body of darkness.

Bruce's cowl covered eyes met hers, and with jerk of the Amazon's head, she gave an unspoken instruction.  _Go. Follow him._

Bruce stared at her for many moments, and Diana held his gaze, making sure he knew that she wasn't backing down from this. Not that Bruce would think she would ever back down from something she thought so important, but she had to make sure he knew. Finally, the billionaire gave the smallest sighs, stalking out of the meeting room almost as quickly as Captain Marvel had. There were a few voices of questions from the other heroes in the room, but he ignored them all, disappearing like the shadows many thought he was made of. 

"What the  _hell_ was that?" demanded Green Lantern, though no one really could, or would, answer his question. 

"We'll find out sooner or later," came from Superman, still looking off to the place where both heroes had disappeared. He glanced at Diana, his mouth in a hard line. All the Amazon could do was look back.

"Something tells me it'll be sooner rather than later."    

 

 

In reality, Batman has no idea why he listened Wonder Woman's instruction and followed Captain Marvel to wherever he might be. It would be much easier and much more beneficial if they sent Superman or even multiple people, something along those lines. Or something. Gods, this entire thing was making his brain mush, struggling to fight the instincts of being a father over being a vigilante. Because really, that's what all this was at this point. For whatever god damned reason, Captain Marvel makes him feel the same way as he does around his children, and he has no idea why. It's just... he  _knows_ that look Marvel had on his face, how his heart was being broken over and over again and he didn't know how to stop it.

He saw it in Dick when he first came to the manor, unsure what to do now that his only family was dead, only for a complete stranger to immediately adopt him.

He saw it in Jason when he found out his real mother was alive, the hurt and aching he went through as he defied Bruce's orders to go find her.

He saw it in Tim when the kid got him out of the time stream, how so many deaths and loses had built up over time until he looked like a dam that was ready to burst.

He saw it in Damian when the boy was still struggling to find him place in the Wayne family, so determined to prove himself worthy of Robin.

Bruce saw it in all of them. Some he was able to comfort and help them deal with, and others he couldn't... or didn't. And those he didn't would haunt him for the rest of him life, no matter how many good things he does in the future.

So maybe that's why he was going after Captain Marvel; to satisfy this weird urge to  _protect_ even though he logically knew that Marvel could turn him into fried chicken with a snap of his magical fingers. It didn't help that the whole Batson thing was still bothering him, still struggling to put into a readable puzzle that actually made some sort of  _sense._ It was on the tip of his tongue yet still somewhere back in his throat, struggling to come up. 

It was easy enough to find out where the magical hero went, and the Dark Knight swiftly set course for Fawcett City. The second he arrived outside of the photobooth he caught a glimpse of a gold and white cape over the rooftops, just simply overing there and staring at the sun. A few seconds later, the Captain landed on the roof he was hovering over, and using his near silent grapple, Batman followed. 

Marvel didn't turn around when the detective landed, giving no sign whatsoever that he had or hadn't head the Dark Knight. There was yet another moment of deja vu for Batman, something he was really starting to get tired of. What was the purpose of your mind remembering something if it wasn't inclined to tell you what it was remembering? It frustrated him to no end, or maybe it was just the red clad hero that frustrated him to no end.

_Have you tried, I don't know, **asking** the guy about it? _came the voice of Dick Grayson, bringing him back to the time when his eldest son thought he should just let the magical hero come to him. 

He hated it when advice he didn't take turned out to be the right one.

"So, are you just going to stand there all day, or are you going to lay in the questions I know you're dying to ask?" Captain Marvel asked softly, his voice sounding thin and scratchy. Batman didn't reply, even as Marvel turned around so that they were face to face. That broken look was still on his face, looking more vulnerable than the Dark Knight has ever seen in the years he's known him. There was always a smile on his face, something to cover up the secrets he guarded so fiercely, but now it was all gone and he was laid bare before the world. A month ago, Batman would have done everything in his power to do that, but now, it just felt wrong.

The Captain had no reason to trust him, no reason to tell him anything, because he hadn't earned it at all. Maybe he should change that.

With a quick, fluid move, Batman took off his cowl so that Bruce Wayne was all that was left behind.   


	11. The Time Gained Moving Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the last chapter of this story! Thank you to everyone that commented, bookmarked, and left kudos, it really means a lot. I hope you've enjoyed The Time Lost In Between!

Of all the things Billy Batson expected Batman to do, this wasn't even a consideration in his mind. That moment right after the Dark Knight took off his cowl felt like it stretched on forever, like Billy had accidently tapped into the speed of Mercury and the rest of the world was going in slow motion while his mind struggled to comprehend what was happening.

In that moment the red clad hero took in every detail from Batman's face that he could, finding himself burning it into a memory in his mind like he had done with the picture of his family. He memorized the man's dark hair, how it was perfectly and meticulously slicked back, the natural slight tan of his skin, the hard dark blue eyes that calculated every movement around him. Billy even noticed the small scar in the vigilante's eyebrow, something so small that you'd need a telescope to see otherwise. The Dark Knight looked just like Billy thought he would, yet at the same time he didn't. He never expected for Batman to look so... human. Imperfect. Vulnerable. Because let's face it, without that cowl, the dark and emotionless leader of the Justice League became more fragile than other hero, which is why so few have seen him without it. 

So why was he showing that vulnerability to  _Captain Marvel?_

There had to be a reason for this, right? Even if Batman was only human, he still had a reason for every step he took, every small movement and every decision made. This had to be something he planned and thought through, not something that was just a spur of the moment.

_Right?_

"I... I've realized," the vigilante began, completely taking Billy out of his all consuming thoughts. How long have they both been standing there in the rising Fawcett City sun? A minute? An hour? It was so hard to tell anymore. "I've realized that you have no reason to trust me with anything. I poke and prod at things you don't want anyone to know, I search and search for anything to tell me who you are and why you're here." Batman's eyes soften ever so gradually, the ice in them melting into something almost similar to Superman's. 

"But now I know I was wrong to do that do you, and for once in my life, I have to admit defeat." The man chuckled to himself, running a gloved hand through his hair, messing up it's perfect placement. "I'm supposed to be the world's greatest detective, but you, Captain Marvel, have stumped me. I know nothing about you no matter what I do, no matter what I look for. So, I might as well try a different tactic, right?" he smiled, taking a step closer and holding out his hand.

"My name is Bruce Wayne. It's nice to finally meet you."

Billy's brain short circuited, all logical thought going straight out of his head.  _Bruce Wayne?_ As in the billionaire playboy from Gotham that was known for having too many kids and not enough brain cells? As in the Prince of Gotham that always had a supermodel on his arm and constantly organizing parties for the city's elite? As in the man Billy saw on television only a few weeks ago?  _That's_ who was behind the Dark Knight?

It felt like a fantasy, like it couldn't be real. There was no way someone could be such an actor... but apparently, Bruce Wayne could. Bruce Wayne could fool the entire world, make them think that he was too daft and dumb to be the world's greatest detective, too spoiled to care about the city he lived in. He could live in the bright sun in the day and become one with the shadows at night. He could be Batman.

Billy's situation wasn't so unlike Mr. Wayne's, now that he thinks about it; after all, how many people would believe it if you said Captain Marvel was actually a 12 year old boy with powers given to him by a magical, all powerful wizard? No one would even consider it, but it was true. They were both actors in their own way, each trying to somehow balance a normal life with a hero one without even have the 'normal' part. Being a billionaire and being homeless were hardly things any person would call 'normal,' but it was normal for them.

He stared at Mr. Wayne's hand for many moments, feeling like his entire body was paralyzed.  _I should do... something,_ Billy thought to himself, once again wondering if he was using the speed of Mercury without realizing it. It would explain how the man still hadn't moved after everything running through his head.

Well... if Batman wanted to trust him after all this time and even put his so heavily guarded secret identity into Captain Marvel's hands... shouldn't Billy do the same? Trust had to be mutual, right? At least, the best kind of trust is. 

_Might as well._

Throwing his head to the sky, Billy yelled,  ** _"SHAZAM!"_**

 

 

Of all the things Bruce Wayne expected Captain Marvel to do, calling out a word he barely even caught to the sky was not anywhere on his list. Was was even  _less_ expected, however, was the giant lightning bolt that struck the Captain not a moment later, temporarily blinding Bruce with its harsh white light. He could feel his skin sizzling from the proximity of it, yet at the same time, he felt none of the electricity touch him or attempt to spread, like it was all concentrated on Captain Marvel without any thought given to anything else. Never mind that there wasn't even a cloud in the sky for lightning to appear from, which honestly when it came to magic, Bruce understood in followed next to none of the same rules as regular life.

The lightning was gone as quickly as it had came, leaving behind the faint scent of ozone and chard matter. Bruce had to take a few moments to make sure his eyes weren't damaged in any way, blinking away the white spots still lingering in his vision. When he looked to where Captain Marvel had been only a second before, he found nothing, like the hero had simply disappeared.

Very confused, Bruce ever so slightly looked down- only to do a double take and put all of his focus to the small being that was standing right in front of him.

William Batson. The son of C.C Batson, the boy the man chased around Fawcett City. He was in place of the world's Mightiest Mortal, almost like... a placeholder of sorts. Everything started to click in Bruce's head after a moment, his mouth dropping without his permission.

"Um... hi?" squeaked William, a little bit of smoke still rising from his form while ash lingered on the shoulders of his faded red hoodie. He shyly raised his hand in mimic of what Bruce had done only a minute before. "My name is Billy Batson. It's nice to meet you Mr. Wayne."

In a slight daze, the billionaire grasped William-  _Billy's-_ small hand, suddenly knowing why the name Billy that came from Black Adam had been bothering him. Dick's real name was Richard... and Billy's real name was William. The answer had been right in front of him all this time, but he had dismissed it so quickly and completely from his mind that he had refused to think of it again. C.C Batson's son really  _was_ Captain Marvel, and this was possible by some magical transformation that turned him into an adult superhero with the powers that rivaled the gods themselves. _Who_ gave him this power and  _why_ were still unknown variables, but for for once, Bruce found that he wasn't itching to know them. For once, he found that he wouldn't mind if he had to wait to find those out, if Billy ever wanted to tell him. He didn't need to know every detail about every person around him, and somehow, it felt relaxing. There was no way he'd ever totally trust someone, not even if he  _did_ know everything about them, but it was a start.

"So Billy," Bruce dropped his hand, giving the boy a smile. "What do you say we grab something to eat?"

 

 

Twenty minutes later, after Bruce changed into normal clothes (if you could call a literal  _suit_ normal) and put on a pair of sunglasses, he and Billy were in Rana's Diner, sitting in one of the booths by the window. The boy wondered if it was the same booth Mr. Wayne was sitting in before he chased Billy through the streets of Fawcett, drinking his cup of coffee and acting like he was a regular business man. The irony of this being the place where they first encountered each other as civilians wasn't lost on Billy, and actually, there was something rather calming about it, like the universe was coming full circle.

Ricky wasn't working there today, instead the waiter being a older teenage girl with braces and thick black hair. Billy was pretty sure her name was Terra or something like that, though he never really came to the Diner whenever she was on duty. He usually only came when he knew Ricky was working, so this entire situation was very much foreign to him.

Once Terra took their orders (pancakes for Billy, bacon and eggs for Bruce) the boy gathered a bit of courage in himself. He's known from the second he woke up in the Rock of Eternity with Adam that he would be asked a lot of questions, but in truth he had a few of his own. More specifically, questions about how Mr. Wayne found that picture of him and his family, since as far as he knew, he had the only copy of it.

"Mr Wayne... can I, uh, ask you a question?" Billy asked nervously, twisting his fingers together under the table. The billionaire gave what the boy could only assume to be fond look, though he couldn't really see Mr. Wayne's eyes behind the darkness of his glasses. If anyone thought it was odd for him to be wearing sunglasses indoors they didn't say it, though there were very few people to say anything really. 

"Go ahead, Billy," he said kindly, taking a sip of his dark coffee. Billy didn't remember the man putting anything in his coffee, and wondered how someone could drink the stuff without at least a little bit of sugar. He remembers trying it a few months ago, how bitter and strong it was. He vowed to never drink it again, even if it did have sugar or some kind of sweetener in it. 

Billy took a deep breath, doing his best to settle the jumping nerves crawling up the base of his spine. "Where... where did you get that picture? I mean, I'm sure you have your ways and stuff but that was a picture that only had one copy and well," he rubbed the back of his neck, looking down at the table. "That one copy is... gone."

Bruce didn't say anything for a moment, leaving a long silence that lingered in the air. The boy found himself holding his breath, only releasing it when the billionaire spoke again. 

"I found it in a newspaper about your parents."

The boy furrowed his eyebrows together, looking up ever so slightly. "About my parents," he parroted, having a feeling he knew where this was going.

Bruce pursed his lips, giving a small nod. "Yes. It was about how they were great people and," he stopped, perhaps seeing the look on Billy's face. He hated it when people tried to baby him and pretend he didn't understand the workings of the world, like he didn't know what life and death were. Of  _course_ he knew what they were- after all, he was constantly surrounded by both going on at the same time. He didn't need adults pitying him and trying to be gentle with him to survive. All he needed was himself to do that.

"And how they died," Billy said bluntly, shrugging like it didn't matter. It didn't, not really, anyway. He still didn't remember much of them, even if he did gain that one he forgot. While it sucked and sometimes made the boy bitter, it didn't hurt... not anymore. Now when he looked back on his parents, there was almost a disconnect from everything else. Yes, he knows he should miss them, and he knows that he should crave their touch, but really... there was nothing. The Wizard making him the Champion of Magic only furthered that disconnect, a purpose far more greater than Billy Batson's coming into play.

Bruce never got a chance to respond because of Terra coming back with their food, placing their respective orders in front of them with a flourish. They both thanked the teen, who told them to just call her if they needed anything. When she left again, the was once more a silence between the two heroes, or civilians if you want to be picky about it. Billy poured syrup on his pancakes before digging in, knowing this would be one of the few opportunities he would have to eat them. To him they were perfect and fluffy, the syrup adding the perfect amount of sweetness. 

It wasn't until nearly halfway through the boy's food that Bruce said anything. "How long have you been on your own?"

Billy shoved in another bite of pancake, wondering how to answer that. The literal answer was to say since he was nine, when he ran away from the foster care system, but in reality it felt like he's been alone for a lot longer than that. Did he tell Mr. Wayne about that, how him parents dying and Mary being taken away from him basically forced him to grow up and learn to fend for himself?

"Since I was seven," the boy replied, making patterns in the excess syrup that made it onto the plate. He barely saw the way Mr. Wayne pressed his lips into a thin line, and Billy bet if he could see the billionaires eyes they were be darker than they were previously. Now, Billy doesn't cower in the face of anyone, not even Batman, but something about the energy Mr. Wayne was radiating made him uncomfortable. He hated how he couldn't see the others eyes, didn't have a chance to guess what he was thinking. All he could do was sit and wait for a reaction.

"Since you were seven?" the billionaire asked, though it was more like a statement than anything. Billy nodded, chancing a glance into the dark lenses. "I thought you didn't fully run away until you were eight or nine," he said, sounding cautious and thin, like he was walking on ice ready to break underneath him. It occurred to the boy then and there just how much Mr. Wayne was able to  _find_ about him, though he shouldn't have been surprised. After all, what's hacking when your the world's greatest detective? And he betted that much of the information he got was public anyway, so a quick search on his undoubtedly huge computer would be enough.

"I was almost nine when I ran away from the foster care people," the boy said, not entire sure how to contribute to this conversation. It was odd to talk to someone who pretty much knows everything about you, after all, what was there to really say? 

Mr. Wayne sighed to himself, mumbling something under his breath that Billy couldn't hear. A moment later there was that small smile on his face that kept coming up, and the boy couldn't help but love that that smile was directed at  _him._ Most adults look at him with distrust or pity, but that smile was... something else. Affection? He's heard of the word, though he never thought it could ever be directed towards himself. 

"Let's talk about something less depressing. What's your favorite sport?"

Billy blinked in surprised. The only person who's ever asked him that question was Ricky, and that was when they first met a few months ago at Fawcett Park. It felt like a lifetime ago at this point, but then again, weeks tended to feel like lifetimes to the boy. After all, constantly being thrown into great danger and fighting enemies most people couldn't even imagine tended to dull everything else in life. 

"Soccer's pretty cool," Billy said kind of lamely, feeling a bit awkward. It didn't help that he's wanted to be on a soccer team for years at this point, and he didn't really want to admit the amount of times he's sneaked into a soccer game in Fawcett to watch. He hasn't done it in a while, with the heroing and whatnot, but he still enjoyed the game. Sometimes he and Ricky would play with an old soccer ball the older boy still had.

Mr. Wayne's smile grew at his response. "So, what do you like about it..."

 

 

_One month later..._

 

 

It was nearly nine P.M when a knock came on the Wayne Manor door. Alfred Pennyworth, though in the kitchen preparing snacks for movie night, immediately stopped his precise dressing of popcorn and walked to the front door. Looking through the small eye hole, the butler couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of him. Unlocking and opening the door, Alfred simply said, "I was starting to think you weren't going to join us, Master Billy."

The small boy looked up at the butler with his own smile, though his body language suggested he was nervous and maybe a little bit shy. It was understandable, seeing as this was Billy's first movie night with the Wayne family, and honestly, that on its own was an adventure paved with way too much popcorn, laughter, and the occasional fight over which character was the best. And now they had finally convinced Jason to come home for movie night, nose fights were bound to happen more often and with much more enthusiasm. It seemed that some things would never change.

Billy walked through the high arching door into the grand Manor, feeling rather small compared to the giant size of the house. He's never been in a building as large as this without it being some sort of skyscraper, and heck, even the  _Watchtower_ probably wasn't as big as this place!

The butler must have noticed his hesitation, placing a gentle but firm hand on Billy's shoulder and leading him through the Manor. The boy took note of the amount of pictures that lined the walls everywhere he went, most of them filled with happy and smiling faces. Others had pictures of people sleeping in odd places or positions, others of the same people wearing strange outfits. It just went on and on, like a continuous timeline that never stopped and filled up every moment.

The boy couldn't  _imagine_ having this many picture of  _anything,_ but here he was. What would it be like if he had all these pictures like the Wayne's did of his own family; would he have forgotten as much as he did? Or would they be a constant reminder of what he's lost?

Billy was taken from these thoughts when he and Alfred entered a room with a large T.V right in the middle, long and fluffy looking couches positioned around it. There were quite a few people already there, only one he truly recognized, which was Mr. Wayne. All of them had dark hair accept one girl, whose bright blond hair stuck out like the sun in the middle of the night.

They all turned to look at Alfred as he entered, a little bit of surprise coming across some of their faces when they saw Billy as there with him. Less than a heartbeat later, one of the guys stood up and...  _strutted_ (that wasn't  _really_ what he did, but there was no better world to describe it, really) over to the boy with an excited look on his face. His hair reached the end of his jawline, skin a few shades darker than Mr. Wayne's and eyes twice as bright. It looked like someone took two pieces of the sky and put it in this person's eyes, who Billy could only assume to be Nightwing. The boy knew very little about the Gotham vigilante's, but he knew enough especially after finding out Mr. Wayne was Batman to figure it out. 

Nightwing was really tall, though he wasn't as tall as Mr. Wayne was. That changed when he crouched down slightly, making them almost exactly eye level. Nightwing's eyes were filled with mischief and playfulness, the smile on his face reminding Billy of an elf or fairy of sorts.

"So _you're_ the one B's been talking about," Nightwing stated, and the boy could only nod dumbly in response. He hadn't really realized that Mr. Wayne talked about him with... could they be called his kids? He knew the billionaire has adopted many children over the years, though he knew none of their names or how they came to be. 

The man's smile got even  _wider,_ if that was possible, thrusting his hand out. "I'm Dick, nice to meet you!"

The boy barely managed to croak out, "I'm Billy," and shake Dick's hand before another voice came to Billy's ears.

"Don't crowd 'em, Big Wing, you're going to give the poor boy a heart attack," said another one of the men on the couch, his dark, curly hair having a sticking white steak in its bangs.

Dick pouted, turning to face the speaker. "But  _Jay,_ he's so cute! He looks like Timmy when he was a kid!"

"How do you even know how I looked when I was that young? You've only know me since I was thirteen," dryly commented the younger man sitting next to the girl with blond hair. Even from here Billy could see how much smaller he was than everyone else, his arms more willowy than anything as he drank from a mug. His blue grey eyes held a very intelligent glint to them, much like Mr. Wayne's eyes had.

Billy shifted from side to side as he watch the interaction between all the people with fascination; how the blond easily teased the smaller man Dick called Tim, and 'Jay' immediately joining in on the fun. Tim didn't seem to mind much, mostly ignoring them in favor of paying close attention to the beverage in his cup. The other girl never said a word, though her body constantly moved and suggested that she was enjoying listening to the banter between her... friends? Siblings? The smallest of them all, a young boy that must have been the same age as Billy, rolled his poison green eyes as the others antics, mumbling something under his breath that Billy couldn't hear, but he instantly picked up on the accent that sounded very much like Black Adam's. It was an interesting thing, watching those who were clearly family act so... casually around one another, especially considering their night jobs. 

Finally, Billy's eyes landed on Mr. Wayne, who was looking over the whole thing with an open look of fondness. Just like the look he's given Billy a few times over the past month. It was still such a weird thing to see from an adult, but Billy was gradually growing used to it. The boy gave a small wave towards the man, but before Mr. Wayne could reply, the smallest of the clan was right in front of Billy's face, an intense look in his eyes. Billy blinked at the other boy, mildly confused at why he was so close, and why he was giving Billy that look, like he was analysing a dying fish in the sun.

It wasn't a pleasant thought.

Billy tilted his head to side, wondering why the other boy was scowling so harshly, making his otherwise youthful face older. The others in the room were noticing as well, Jay being the first to speak up about it.

"Geez, Dami, at least get to know a guy before you pull shit like that," was immediately followed by "language!" which the man promptly ignored. 

'Dami's' scowl only deepened. "He does not look like a warrior like you have said, father," he said with something like disappointment in his voice. This confused Billy even more. Sure, he told Mr. Wayne that it was okay to tell his family that he was Captain Marvel, but the way this boy reacted, it was like he was expecting Billy to  _constantly_ be the magical hero. 

"Not when I'm like this?" Billy questioned himself, eyes looking between Mr. Wayne and Damian , silently asking for help. He couldn't help but notice the similarities between the boy and Mr. Wayne, and Billy wondered if some of the people here really  _were_ related somehow.

"Now Damian, I'm sure you can ask Billy your questions later. Right now it's time for movie night," Mr. Wayne finished as Alfred walked back in, holding many bowls of popcorn, chips, and other various snacks. As the Wayne clan grabbed their prefered snacks, Billy awkwardly sat at the edge of one of the couches, questioning how exactly this was going to work. Would they just... treat him like one of their own? They didn't seem to find it weird that he was Captain Marvel, the youngest being the only one who's said anything about it.

Without any warning, Billy suddenly found himself being simply picked up like a kitten and moving further onto the couch in someone's lap. A quick look up told the boy that it was Dick who did that, the young man hardly even paying attention to Billy's blatantly confused stare, like all of this was totally normal.

_Was_ all of this totally normal?

"Don't worry, he does that all the time," said Tim as he sat down to the right of Dick, a bag of potato chips in hand. "Though I will admit, it's usually me or Damian." 

"But why?" Billy couldn't help but ask as the blond girl and Jay sat down on Dick's left and the dark haired girl and Damian sat next to Tim. 

"To Dicky it's more like, 'why not'?" Jay explained, which in all honesty, really didn't help Billy at all. But he wasn't about to complain; Dick was  _really_ warm and currently was hugging him like you would a teddy bear. For whatever reason it made his heart really happy, and even the casual sitting around him was making him happy. Mr. Wayne sitting beside Damian only made him even happier, until he felt like he was about to explode with happiness. Was this what family was supposed to make you feel like? If so, the boy never wanted to let go, not if it meant this.

The large T.V turned on as everyone finished settling down, showing the title screen for a movie called  _Frozen._ Now, he's seen movies before, but he hasn't really had to money to do so lately, so this movie was pretty much unknown to him. From around the boy, there were both cheers of glee and groans of annoyance, the blond girl asking if they were really going to watch this movie  _again._

"Yes, Steph , we  _are,"_ Dick laughed, looking down at Billy. "Right Billy?"

Billy shrugged. "I've never seen it before, so-"

_"You've never seen Frozen?"_ came the chorus of both Tim and Jay, causing the boy to look down awkwardly.

"Umm, no?"

"Watch and listen," whispered the dark haired girl, the words almost coming out choppy as she pointed to the movie, which someone (probably Bruce or Alfred) had already started. 

The rest seemed to take her few words seriously and quieted down, the entire Wayne clan staring at the T.V, though some more reluctantly than others. Billy snuggled into the body behind him, already having the feeling that this night would be a good one.

 

 

An hour after the second movie started (Moana, which turned out to be  _another_ movie Billy hasn't seen) Dick saw that the boy fell asleep in his lap, all curled up and breathing deeply. It made his heart soar to know that Billy felt safe enough to sleep, though he will admit, being in the dark and being forced to cuddle a warm body usually made people very sleepy.

"So B," he whispered as to not disturb the sleeping boy, looking over at his mentor. "Where  _did_ you two meet, anyway? I get he's Captain Sparkle-Fingers or whatever, but is he also another dark haired orphan that you couldn't help but adopt?"

Bruce smirked to himself, not looking over at any of his children as they awaited an answer. He could tell that all of them, even Damian (though he won't admit it) instantly gained a fondness for the boy. It was actually quite adorable to watch how they were already fighting for his attention; Dick being the most obvious when he basically kidnapped the boy and refused to let him go. But the others were in on it too, even if they were more subtle. Like how Tim offered him chips throughout the movie, waiting patiently as Billy carefully chose one, like he wasn't sure how sharing food exactly worked. Or how Jason and Stephanie would continuously ask if Billy liked the movie, throwing in jokes along the way and generally causing everyone else to shush them. The boy didn't seem to mind however, his cheeks constantly tinged pick from giggling so much.

Cass and Damian, while they didn't outright do anything, their body language said it all. Cass was simply happy to watch the younger boy and see what he reactions were to the movies, his bright eyed awe making her content and satisfied. Damian on the other hand looked slightly jealous of his other siblings, even if he never said anything to voice this. His greens eyes would dart to Billy before looking back at the movie, huffing to himself as he made yet another comment about how it was ridiculous.

The billionaire only shrugged. "Well, his last name is Batson, so I guess nothing would need to change."

The room was silent except for the the song that just came on from the movie. "What?" at least three of his children said in unison while the others immediately shushed them.

"There's no  _way_ that's real," hissed Stephanie.

Bruce shrugged again. "It's true. His name is William Joseph Batson. But I wouldn't count on Billy letting me adopt him, I've already asked and he strongly refused. I think he'll be just fine on his own."

Jason snorted softly, saying, "so what does the League think about having a literal child among them? I would've loved have seen the footage for  _that_ bombshell."

The man looked back to the movie, not answering Jason's question for a minute. The reaction from his fellow League members would be partially outrage and partially stunned, that is, if they even knew in the first place. Sure, pretty much all of them were confused when Batman came back to the Watchtower saying that Captain Marvel was perfectly trustworthy and nothing was off, many demanding an explanation for what exactly he and the magical hero talked about, but all the caped crusader did was ignore the questions. The only heroes that haven't asked him anything were Superman and Wonder Woman, and really they were also the only ones treating Marvel like nothing had ever happened, which he was grateful for.

"They don't know, and they won't know until Billy wants to tell them," he finally replied, which got a snicker out of all his children. There was nothing like having a family secret that they could all taunt the other heroes with, leaving them wondering what they Hell they were talking about. Bruce sighed to himself just thinking about the later conversations he would be having with the other heroes.

_But not now,_ he thought to himself, looking at the peaceful form of Billy Batson once again. For once he actually looked like a normal child, not a homeless orphan or a powerful hero with the weight of the universe constantly on his shoulder.  

Now they could finally stop worrying about the past and the time that was lost.

Now, they could finally think about the time they could gain moving forward.            

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a comment.
> 
> ~Magical_Devil_Alex


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